Despite heavy insecurity ravaging Niger state in recent months, Niger State farmers have come together to purchase APC nomination form for Governor Umar Bago.
The farmers praised the gesture, which was displayed in Abuja on Thursday, as an expression of gratitude for the current administration’s “extraordinary” spending and attention to agriculture.
“The His Excellency has done very well. We want him to continue the good work he is doing, and that is why we bought the nomination forms for him,” they added.
The group also purchased a form for a lawmaker named Abdullahi Sai’du.
“For us, we are looking at track records. We are looking at what you are doing as far as agriculture is concerned. You can see a lot of transformation and re-engineering of agricultural activities in Niger State, which is being propelled by our governor, ably assisted by Honourable Abdullahi.
“This is a payback period. They have done their best for us. We have seen the deployment of necessary equipment and farm inputs, ranging from fertiliser to tractors, and improved yield for our farmers, which has generated a lot of employment”, they added.
The farmers noted that Governor Bago has made agriculture the focal point of Niger State’s economic plan since taking office in 2023, positioning the state as Nigeria’s new center for food production.
Insecurity in Niger State
However, the state has been a hotspot for bandits and terrorists in recent months, especially since the start of 2026.
In January of 2026, the Niger State Governor has ordered residents of the hamlets surrounding Kainji Lake two months to leave so that the Emirate Council can relocate them.
The farmer governor stated that in order to prevent collateral damage, it is now required to resettle the population in order to clear the forest, drive out criminals who are using Kainji Lake as a camp, and make the land extremely safe.
In March of 2026, Muhammad Umaru Bago, the governor of Niger State, revealed that at least 500,000 people who were uprooted by terrorist activities in the state are now dispersed among neighboring states and abroad.
According to the governor, the displaced people are currently dispersed around the Federal Capital Territory, neighboring Benin Republic, Kebbi State, Kwara State, Kogi State, and Kaduna State.
ENigeria Newspaper also recalled that the the Niger state government has ordered the closure of all public and private primary and secondary schools across the state following the abduction of pupils at St Mary’s Catholic School, Papiri, in Agwara LGA.
