Reported by Simon Daniel Yusuph l Journalist at Weng Global
The Kaduna State Government says more than 500,000 hectares of farmland previously abandoned or inaccessible because of banditry have been recovered, allowing farmers in several parts of the state to return to cultivation.
The Commissioner for Information and Culture, Ahmed Maiyaki, disclosed the figure during the annual retreat of the Kano Correspondents’ Chapel held in Kaduna, where he outlined what the government described as gains recorded through its security and development strategy.
According to Maiyaki, the recovery of farmland has been linked to a combination of military and other security operations, community-based security initiatives, early-warning mechanisms and engagement with traditional and religious leaders.
The development is significant for Kaduna, a major agricultural state that has faced years of insecurity in several rural communities. Bandit attacks, kidnappings and the displacement of residents previously forced many farmers away from their fields, disrupting agricultural production and local commerce.
Farmers Returning to Previously Inaccessible Farmlands
Maiyaki said improved security had enabled displaced farmers to return to agricultural activities, particularly in communities that had previously been affected by armed groups.
The commissioner said bandits had at various times exercised control over some communities, imposed levies on residents and restricted normal economic and social activities.
He said the restoration of access to farmland was therefore not simply a security development but also an economic one, because farming communities depend heavily on safe access to their fields, markets and transportation routes.
The 500,000-hectare figure is not new. Kaduna officials have cited it repeatedly over the past year in describing the impact of the state’s security strategy. Premium Times reported in November 2025 that the Kaduna government said its peace model had restored more than 500,000 hectares of farmland and helped reopen rural markets and previously unsafe transportation routes.
Punch also reported last month that Governor Uba Sani attributed the recovery of more than 500,000 hectares of previously abandoned farmland to improved security and the state’s community-driven peace approach.
Security Strategy Combines Force With Community Engagement
The Kaduna government has presented its approach as a combination of kinetic and non-kinetic measures.
The kinetic component involves security operations designed to confront armed groups and protect vulnerable communities, while the non-kinetic component includes dialogue, intelligence sharing, community engagement and socio-economic interventions.
Maiyaki said the state’s security architecture, supported by young people and community leaders, had identified 75 potential threats between 2023 and early 2026. According to his account, 70 of those threats were addressed before developing into violent clashes.
The approach reflects the government’s broader Kaduna Peace Model, which officials have described as a community-based strategy aimed at addressing the causes and consequences of insecurity rather than relying exclusively on military force.
Earlier reporting by Premium Times showed that the government had attributed the model’s progress to dialogue, intelligence sharing and socio-economic inclusion. The newspaper, however, also reported that residents continued to experience sporadic attacks in some communities, highlighting the fact that security gains do not necessarily mean that the threat of banditry has disappeared completely.
Agriculture Becomes a Key Measure of Security Recovery
For rural communities, the return of farmers is one of the clearest indicators of whether security improvements are translating into everyday economic activity.
In areas previously affected by insecurity, farmers’ inability to reach their farms can result in lower food production, rising prices, loss of household income and increased dependence on food supplied from other parts of the country.
The Kaduna government says it has therefore paired security measures with agricultural support.
Maiyaki said the state’s agriculture budget had risen from N1.4 billion in 2023 to more than N100 billion in 2026. He also said farmers had received free fertiliser and other forms of support.
According to the commissioner, maize production in some areas had increased from an average of about three bags per hectare to as much as 22 bags per hectare.
Those figures are government claims and should be understood within that context. They point to the administration’s reported agricultural gains, but independent measurement would be required to establish the scale of the increase across the state.
The government has also linked the reopening of rural roads to improved agricultural activity. Maiyaki said road construction and rehabilitation across 12 local government areas had improved access to farms, markets, schools, healthcare facilities and security locations.
Markets and Transport Routes Also Reopening
The reported recovery of farmland has occurred alongside the reopening of markets and transport routes in areas that were previously affected by insecurity.
In earlier comments, Kaduna officials said agricultural and commercial activities had returned to parts of Giwa, Birnin Gwari and Kauru local government areas.
BusinessDay reported in November 2025 that Maiyaki said markets had reopened and that between 20 and 30 cattle trucks were moving weekly along roads that had previously been considered unsafe.
The reopening of markets is particularly important in rural Kaduna because agriculture, livestock trading and related businesses provide income for large numbers of households.
A functioning market also allows farmers to sell produce, traders to move goods and consumers to access food. Consequently, restoring security along transportation corridors can have effects extending beyond the communities where security operations take place.
Recent Security Operations Show Threats Have Not Completely Disappeared
Despite the reported gains, security challenges remain in parts of Kaduna.
On August 31, 2026, police said armed bandits had been disturbing farmers in the Kidandan area of Giwa Local Government Area. Security personnel responded to the reported threat, with the suspects fleeing after an exchange of fire and abandoning a pump-action rifle, ammunition and a motorcycle, according to the Kaduna State Police Command.
The incident illustrates the continuing security challenge facing agricultural communities even as the government reports broader improvements.
In another recent development, Kaduna police said they recovered firearms, stolen vehicles and suspected counterfeit currency during separate operations across the state. The command said the operations were aimed partly at creating a safer environment for residents and ensuring that farmers could access their farmlands.
The continued presence of such incidents means that the recovery of farmland should not necessarily be interpreted as the complete elimination of banditry.
Rather, the available evidence suggests an uneven security environment in which some communities have experienced substantial improvement while others remain vulnerable to criminal activity.
Security Gains Have Wider Economic Implications
The return of farmers could have broader implications for Kaduna’s food economy.
Kaduna is one of Nigeria’s important agricultural states, with farming communities involved in the production of crops including maize, ginger and other commodities. When insecurity prevents farmers from cultivating their land, the consequences can extend beyond individual households.
Reduced cultivation can affect food supplies, farm employment, rural markets and transportation businesses. It can also contribute to higher food prices when local production falls.
Conversely, improved security can allow farmers to plan their planting seasons, invest in inputs, employ labour and transport their produce to markets.
This makes the government’s claim about recovering more than 500,000 hectares significant beyond the headline figure. If sustained, access to previously abandoned farmland could contribute to increased agricultural output and improve economic activity in affected rural communities.
However, sustaining the gains will require more than reopening farmland. Farmers also need reliable security, functioning roads, access to agricultural inputs, storage facilities, markets and protection against renewed attacks.
Kaduna’s Peace Model Faces the Test of Sustainability
The central challenge for the Kaduna government is whether its reported security improvements can be sustained over time.
The administration has promoted a model that combines conventional security operations with community participation, dialogue and development interventions.
Earlier reporting by The Guardian and Punch documented the government’s claim that its peace initiative involved dialogue with affected communities and socio-economic interventions, including access to education, healthcare and livelihood opportunities.
Premium Times, however, noted that sporadic attacks remained a concern in some communities even as the government highlighted the achievements of the peace model.
That distinction is important. A reduction in insecurity does not automatically mean that the underlying causes of violence have been permanently resolved.
For farmers, the most meaningful test will be whether they can continue to access their farms safely throughout planting, cultivation and harvesting seasons without renewed displacement.
What Happens Next
The Kaduna government is expected to continue combining security operations with agricultural and infrastructure interventions as it seeks to consolidate the reported gains.
The immediate priority for farming communities will be maintaining safe access to farmland and rural roads while preventing armed groups from regaining influence in areas that have been reopened.
Continued investment in early-warning systems and cooperation between security agencies, traditional institutions, religious leaders and local communities is also likely to remain central to the state’s strategy.
The government will also face the challenge of demonstrating that reported improvements translate into measurable outcomes for ordinary residents — including increased agricultural production, safer communities, stronger rural markets and improved household incomes.
For Kaduna farmers, the significance of the reported recovery of more than 500,000 hectares will ultimately depend not only on the amount of land that has become accessible, but on whether that access remains secure and productive.
The state’s security situation therefore remains a developing story. While the reported return of farmers represents an important sign of recovery, continued vigilance and sustained investment will be necessary to prevent a reversal of the gains.
Weng Global – Stories beyond borders
Sources
- The Times — Kaduna recovers 500,000 hectares of farmland, Commissioner says
- Premium Times — Kaduna government says peace model restored more than 500,000 hectares
- Punch — Kaduna Peace Model and recovery of abandoned farmland
- BusinessDay — Kaduna Peace Model and recovery of farmland
- Channels Television — Recent Kaduna police security operations
