By Gbenga Akingbule
Koshebe, an agrarian community known for producing local rice and assorted grains will soon return to its old glory following plans by the Borno State Government to resettle the over 50,000 farmers and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) who escape the onslaught of merciless Boko Haram terrorists.
Gatekeepers News reports that rampaging Boko Haram Terrorists had invaded Koshebe where they took ample time to behead their victims who were mainly farmers who had gone to harvest their farm produce back in November 2020
In 2023, the Boko Haram fighters also killed about a dozen farmers in Karkut and Koshebe villages.
But Governor Babagana Zulum is changing the narrative for the residents of Koshebe; the governor is fine-tuning plans to return the people back to their ancestral homes and support them with agricultural improvements
According to the governor who disclosed this in Koshebe Village, Mafa Local Government Area on Thursday, the return of relative peace to Koshebe and its environs will ensure the revival of agricultural activities in the area.
Governor Zulum stated that the purpose of resettling the farmers back to Koshebe after the relative peace is to allow them to cultivate their farmlands which will also give opportunity for other farmers who are coming to the area for farming from other Northern states of the country.
“The first thing we want to achieve is to partner with the Federal Government under the hope initiative of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to see how we will join hands with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security in providing seeds and other agricultural inputs.
“We will also clear this land and support the communities with agricultural inputs and other upgraded seedlings, I believe this will help in boosting agricultural activities and food production in the state and Nigeria at large.
“You can see the massive land, this potential has to be harnessed to enhance food production, I spoke with Mr President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and he released funds under the Ministry of Agriculture to support farmers and the Borno state government will complement the effort of the federal government and ensure that people have backed to the farming activities, I believe this will reduce the negative effects of insurgency in these areas,” Gov Zulum said.
The North East Development Commission ( NEDC ) is also putting smiles on the faces of residents and farmers of Koshebe and adjoining communities with the construction of a ring road which was inspected by Governor Zulum.
Zulum commended President Bola Tinubu and NEDC for constructing the road saying “We remain eternally grateful for this initiative because many farmers will get the opportunity to engage in extensive farming, this is so because one of the major reasons that hinder agricultural activities is lack of access road”.
He noted that the military has assured the state government that they will provide security to ensure the successful resettlement of the remaining farmers back to Koshebe displaced by the Boko Haram insurgency.
