Farmers in Augie Local Government Area of Kebbi State are living in fear following chilling threats from suspected terrorists believed to be members of the Lakurawa group, who have ordered them to abandon the use of mechanized farming equipment or face death.

According to intelligence reports shared by security analyst Zagazola Makama, the terrorists explicitly warned that farmers must revert to traditional cattle-powered farming methods. The ultimatum has heightened tensions in several communities, already battered by recurrent attacks and widespread cattle rustling.

 “Now, the terrorists are dictating how we should farm,” one resident lamented. “They forbid us from using machines. When we use cattle, they seize them. We’re farming both for sustenance and commercial purposes.”

Sources say that fear has gripped many farmers, some of whom had recently turned to mechanized tools after losing their cattle to rustlers. The new threats effectively leave them without safe options, exposing them to both economic hardship and physical danger.

An intelligence source confirmed that the threats were genuine and circulated among multiple villages in the area, prompting renewed calls for military intervention and government support to secure the region.

The Lakurawa group has been linked to a string of violent incidents across Kebbi State. In one of the most recent attacks in April, at least 13 vigilantes were ambushed and killed in Morai village, also in Augie LGA, during an operation to retrieve stolen livestock.

When contacted regarding the threats, Kebbi State Police Public Relations Officer, Nafiu Abubakar, said the command was aware of the reports and would conduct an investigation into the matter.

Kebbi is one of Nigeria’s leading agricultural states, and the intensifying rural insecurity, especially targeting farming practices, could have wider implications for food security and local economies in the North-West.

Experts warn that if urgent action is not taken, these threats could deter farming activities, deepen poverty, and strengthen the control of non-state armed actors in the region.