The pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has raised the alarm over persistent attacks and kidnappings targeting farmers and other residents across Yorubaland.
In a statement issued on Friday by its National Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi, in Ibadan, Oyo State, the organisation said several incidents occurring across the region and other parts of Nigeria remained unreported.
Afenifere said its recent visits to the Oke-Ogun area of Oyo State and northern parts of Ondo State revealed growing concerns among farmers over insecurity and other challenges affecting agricultural production.
According to the organisation, some farmers told its representatives that they had abandoned their farms for three main reasons: fear of kidnapping, poor prices for farm produce and the destruction of crops by cattle grazing on farmland.
It said farmers were also being disadvantaged by middlemen, locally known as “Onibaranda”, who stand between producers and direct buyers, contributing to declining returns from farming.
“First, one is fear of being kidnapped; second is the serious fall in prices that farmers could sell their proceeds as middlemen/middle-women (known as ‘Onibaranda’) are standing between them and direct purchasers, while the third reason is grazing on farmlands by unscrupulous herders that have not stopped despite several lamentations, warnings and steps taken,” the statement said.
Afenifere cited several recent incidents, including the killing of a female farmer in Ondo State, the abduction of 33-year-old poultry farmer Ooreoluwa Osonuga in Ikenne, Ogun State, the killing of four farmers in the Oke-Ogun area of Oyo State and the abduction of Debo Farounbi in Ora, Osun State.
The organisation said Farounbi, who was abducted on 9 June 2026, had reportedly remained in captivity despite the payment of N30m in ransom.
According to the statement, his abductors had demanded additional money and motorcycles.
Afenifere also referred to a statement by the All Farmers Association of Nigeria in June, which reportedly warned that persistent abductions of farmers, farm workers and agribusiness investors in Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo states were discouraging investment and reducing agricultural productivity.
The association was also reported to have warned that the insecurity was threatening the livelihoods of thousands of farming families.
“Many farmers now abandon their farms due to fear of abduction, ransom demands and violent attacks,” Afenifere quoted the association as saying.
The organisation further cited the experience of a prominent Ondo State farmer, Eddy Olafeso, who reportedly owns 10 hectares of farmland where he cultivates cassava, cocoa, yam, plantain and other crops.
According to Afenifere, Olafeso said he had abandoned the farm largely because of insecurity.
The group also cited the President of the Cowpea and Beans Farmers Association of Nigeria and Vice-President of the Federation of Agricultural Commodities Association, Shitu Kabir, as saying that the production of cowpea and beans had fallen by almost 70 per cent in parts of northern Nigeria.
Afenifere warned that the continued insecurity affecting farmers could further undermine agricultural production, discourage investment and worsen food security concerns unless urgent measures were taken to protect farming communities and their livelihoods.
