Armed groups operating in parts of Kano and Katsina states are reportedly extorting farmers, demanding up to ₦50,000 per acre from sugarcane growers ahead of harvest. According to reports on Friday, the groups have entrenched themselves in Rugu Forest in Faskari Local Government Area of Katsina State and Falgore Forest in Doguwa Local Government Area of Kano State, where they collect illegal farm levies and threaten farmers who refuse to comply. Sugarcane farmers are said to be the primary targets, although maize production has also been affected. Those who resist face intimidation, destruction of crops, and the risk of violent attacks, forcing some to abandon their farms entirely.
Activists say the forests are strategically located within the Kano–Katsina food belt, a key agricultural corridor supplying major markets such as Dawanau Market in Kano. Despite military and police checkpoints along the Falgore road, armed groups reportedly operate within five kilometres of these security posts, raising concerns about the effectiveness of security measures and the capacity of authorities to protect rural communities. Experts warn that continued disruption of farming activities in the area could trigger wider food shortages and fuel price increases across northern Nigeria.
Residents describe the situation as a gradual takeover, with armed actors enforcing rules, collecting levies, and controlling daily economic activities without resistance. The crisis has prompted urgent calls for intervention by Kano and Katsina state governments and federal security agencies to dismantle the parallel structures and avert a looming food-security threat. As of Friday, no official response had been issued by the affected state governments or security agencies.