Armed groups operating in parts of Kano and Katsina states have allegedly imposed illegal levies on farmers, demanding as much as ₦50,000 per acre from sugarcane growers ahead of harvests, as they entrench a parallel system of authority in key forest areas.
Reports indicate that the groups have established strongholds in Rugu Forest in Faskari Local Government Area of Katsina State and Falgore Forest in Doguwa Local Government Area of Kano State. From these locations, they reportedly collect farm taxes, issue threats, and enforce compliance among local farming communities.
Farmers who refuse to pay the levies are said to face intimidation, destruction of their crops, and the risk of violent attacks, prompting many to abandon their farmlands altogether. While sugarcane farmers are the primary targets, maize production has also been affected.
According to a local activist, Bakatsine (@DanKatsina50 on X), the affected forests lie within the Kano–Katsina food belt, a critical agricultural corridor that supplies produce to major markets, including the Dawanau Market in Kano.
Experts have warned that the continued disruption of farming activities in the area could lead to food shortages and rising prices across northern Nigeria. The situation has also raised concerns about security effectiveness, as the armed groups are reportedly operating within five kilometres of military and police checkpoints along the Falgore road.
Residents describe the development as a gradual takeover, with armed actors enforcing rules, collecting levies, and controlling daily economic activities with little resistance.
The situation has intensified calls for urgent intervention by the Kano and Katsina state governments, as well as federal security agencies, to dismantle the alleged parallel structures and avert a potential food-security crisis.
As of the time of reporting, no official response had been issued by the affected state governments or security agencies.
