Farmers in Birnin-Gwari Local Government Area, LGA, of Kaduna State have abandoned their farmlands over the resurgence of terrorism and other criminal acts in the rural communities.

Speaking to Vanguard's correspondent yesterday , a traditional title holder at Dan Masanin Birnin-Gwari and former Managing Director of Kaduna State Media Corporation, Zubairu Abdurrauf , said less than 20 percent of farmlands in the Local Government Area were being attended to as the local farmers had run away for their lives, leaving the terrorists to hold sway.

According to him," Well the resurgence of armed banditry, kidnappings and burning of villages and towns by the terrorists in Birnin-Gwari Local Government as a whole is sending a signal of famine in our area.

"This is because as it is now, most of the farming communities cannot access their farms. If last year out of 100 percent of arable land that the farmers were able to only cultivate about 45 percent, I doubt if this planting season we will be able to see our people plant in their various farms that would reach 15 or 20 percent.

"So, the alarming nature of these incidents was as a result of these terrorists coming back in full swing, trying to see how far they will be able to get more money from people. Our people are living in abject poverty and they don't have money .These terrorists came calling, asking and sending messages of abduction.

"For instance, the terrorists have been attacking from all corners. The Birnin-Gwari Kaduna highway has become a nightmare. Every day in a particular location these terrorists would abduct, kill and maim many people, innocent travellers."

He said even if the military were able to safeguard the Highways and protect the communities, there were still much to do to reach areas or the extreme parts of the Local Government Area.

Abdurrauf suggested a synergy between the military and locals in the affected communities, insisting that an inter agency collaboration was imperative towards finding a solution to the killings in the area.

While linking the resurgence of terrorism in the area to the Supreme Court judgment that allowed the free flow of cash, hitherto regulated by the Naira redesign policy, the Dan Masanin Birnin-Gwari said the terrorists were now wild and out to perpetrate their nefarious activities and get more money to take care of themselves and buy more arms.