In the heart of north-eastern Nigeria, a war-torn region plagued by Boko Haram militants, lies a unique solution to protect the livelihoods of local farmers - an army of armed guards known as Agro Rangers.
The government set up this special security unit in 2023 to safeguard farmers from militant attacks. Farmers like Aisha Isa, who tends to her crops alongside armed guards, fear for their souls every time they step out into the fields. "There is fear - we fear for our souls," she says.
Farmers live with a constant threat of being kidnapped or killed by Boko Haram militants, despite the presence of the security unit. 13 years on from the start of the insurgency, insecurity continues to weigh heavily on people's lives. Many farmers say the Nigerian army cannot protect them when they are attacked.
The government has responded by expanding the Agro Rangers scheme and increasing its efforts to address regional insecurity. However, critics argue that this is a short-term solution and that more needs to be done to ensure lasting peace in the region.
As the country faces an unprecedented food security crisis, with almost four million people facing hunger across conflict zones, the situation for farmers remains dire.
The government set up this special security unit in 2023 to safeguard farmers from militant attacks. Farmers like Aisha Isa, who tends to her crops alongside armed guards, fear for their souls every time they step out into the fields. "There is fear - we fear for our souls," she says.
Farmers live with a constant threat of being kidnapped or killed by Boko Haram militants, despite the presence of the security unit. 13 years on from the start of the insurgency, insecurity continues to weigh heavily on people's lives. Many farmers say the Nigerian army cannot protect them when they are attacked.
The government has responded by expanding the Agro Rangers scheme and increasing its efforts to address regional insecurity. However, critics argue that this is a short-term solution and that more needs to be done to ensure lasting peace in the region.
As the country faces an unprecedented food security crisis, with almost four million people facing hunger across conflict zones, the situation for farmers remains dire.
I mean, I know it's a serious issue and all that, but honestly, it's been discussed to death.
And what's with the 13-year timeline? That's ages in online forum years.
. But seriously, 13 years in and the Agro Rangers are still not enough? Can't we just give them a decent drone or two to help out? The Nigerian army can't even keep their own borders secure, what makes these farmers think they'll be safer with armed guards riding around on ATVs? 
can't believe how many lives are affected by this Boko Haram situation and it's still ongoing after 13 yrs lol what's the point of having Agro Rangers if they're not making a difference? like Aisha said "there is fear we fear for our souls" - that's too much 
farmers need more than just armed guards to feel safe. I mean, isn't it time for the government to get serious about solving this problem? 
Food insecurity is on the rise and we gotta do better! 
4M ppl are struggling to access food & Boko Haram's been terrorizing them for 13 yrs? 
. Like, who wants to go out into the fields and risk getting kidnapped or killed by militants? 
We need more than just guards to keep them safe. We need a real solution to this Boko Haram problem and like, some serious peace in the region already! 
The government needs to step up their game and do something concrete to address this issue ASAP. I mean, 13 years on and it's still not fixed? That's just not right 
. I mean, 13 years and nothing's really changed? The Nigerian army can't be trusted to keep these farmers safe and now we're throwing more resources at it? It's like we're just treating the symptoms instead of addressing the root cause.
. We need real solutions to this food insecurity crisis, not just some tokenistic efforts to placate the public. Can't they see we need a comprehensive plan here? 
. Farmers need more than just armed guards to feel safe - they need economic stability, better infrastructure, and access to resources that'll help them earn a decent living 
. We can't keep relying on short-term fixes when the real issue is the lack of development in that region 
& now theres this food security crisis goin on... almost 4 million people dont have enough to eat 
its time for the gov to step up their game & figure out a more permanent solution 
The Agro Rangers are a good start, but we need systemic changes to address the root causes of insecurity in the region 
We need real solutions that put people over politics 
And can we please prioritize food security? Almost four million people are struggling to find their next meal...it's a disaster 
. Where are the stats on how many militants they've actually taken down? What's the cost of hiring these armed guards - is it being covered by taxpayers or private funding?
