NSCDC Strengthens Gombe Food Security with New Agro Rangers Base in Kanawa

News in Brief

-NSCDC has unveiled a new Agro Rangers base at the Kanawa Forest Reserve, Gombe State, to protect critical agricultural assets and farmlands from encroachment and illegal activities.

-The facility includes residential quarters, solar power, and a borehole, and is supported by two new motorcycles to enhance patrol and rapid response capabilities.

Gombe State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has inaugurated a purpose-built Agro Rangers operational base at the Kanawa Forest Reserve in Yamaltu/Deba Local Government Area to fortify the security of farmlands, agricultural assets and mitigate agrarian conflict in the state. 

The facility, commissioned on Monday, represents a significant investment by the Gombe State Government with technical support from the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) project, aiming to protect critical agricultural infrastructure and the region's burgeoning botanical resources.

Strategic Security for Agrarian Prosperity

The newly established base is designed to serve as a 24-hour forward operating centre, ensuring the safety of the Kwadon community, surrounding farmlands, and the Kanawa Forest Biosphere and Botanical Garden. 

Speaking at the inauguration, the Gombe State Commandant of the NSCDC, Idris Jibrin, emphasised that the unit would maintain a zero-tolerance policy regarding illegal encroachment, unauthorised logging, and farmer-herder clashes within the corridor.

The facility is equipped with modern residential accommodation, a solar power system, and a motorised borehole to ensure the self-sufficiency of the deployed personnel. To bolster the operational capacity of the rangers, ACReSAL also donated two motorcycles, which will facilitate rapid response and frequent patrol operations across the protected landscape.

Promoting Lasting Peace

Commandant Idris highlighted that the intervention aligns with the broader vision of the Commandant General, Professor Ahmed Abubakar Audi, to secure Nigeria’s agricultural investments through proactive engagement. He called upon local stakeholders, including farmers and herders, to adopt peaceful dialogue as their primary tool for dispute resolution.

"We call on communities to cooperate with Agro Rangers personnel and take advantage of the Corps’ Alternative Dispute Resolution mechanisms for the peaceful resolution of agrarian conflicts," the Commandant stated during the event. By institutionalising these resolution pathways, the command aims to foster an environment where agribusiness can thrive without the threat of insecurity.