The Yagba Action Group (YAG), a non-profit, non-partisan organisation based in Kogi State, has criticised the government’s alleged inaction following the kidnapping of prominent livestock farmer, Chief Ajayi Bello, nearly two weeks ago.
Bello, 72, who is the Chairman of the Kogi State Poultry Association and, by extension, the Poultry Association of Nigeria, was abducted from his farm in Ponyan, Yagba East Local Council. His abduction has caused widespread concern across Nigeria’s agricultural community.
In a statement issued by the chairman of the group, Tunde Olusunle, an Adjunct Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Abuja, YAG expressed disappointment at what it described as the federal and state governments’ repeated failure to provide the basic security citizens require to go about their daily lives.
Bello, a retiree from Guinness Nigeria Ltd, had returned to his hometown, Ponyan, about a decade ago, where he established a thriving, ultramodern livestock business. The enterprise is believed to employ around 200 casual workers, primarily involved in harvesting and sorting eggs. His customer base reportedly spans the states of Kogi, Kwara, Ekiti, and Ondo.
YAG voiced concern over what it described as a “systematic and well-organised plan by Fulani, funded by faceless agents, to displace Yagba and Okun people and take over their land.”
The group also raised alarm over the prolonged detention of the elderly farmer, whose family has confirmed he suffers from diabetes and prostate-related issues. “Keeping a 72-year-old man… for this long is most disheartening,” YAG said, describing Bello’s continued captivity as “wicked” and accusing the Kogi State government of “unimaginable inertia.”
The group urged Kogi State governor, Usman Ododo, and relevant government agents to speak up and take swift action to secure Bello’s release. YAG stated that failure to act in such situations erodes public confidence in a government meant to protect its citizens, especially those who have contributed meaningfully to national development.
“That he remains in captivity two weeks after his abduction, with seemingly little effort from the government to secure his release,” it noted, “is a reminder of the vulnerability of rural communities to banditry and kidnapping.”
YAG also echoed the frustrations of local farmers who claim there has been no official communication from the Kogi State Commissioner of Agriculture, the Minister of Agriculture, the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), or relevant livestock farmers’ associations regarding the abduction.
In a separate statement circulating on social media, senior journalist and Yagba-born farmer, Dayo Thomas, warned authorities that “Chief Bello’s abduction is not just a local issue. It has far-reaching implications for the agricultural sector in Nigeria. As a prominent figure in the industry, his safety and security are crucial to maintaining the confidence of farmers and investors.
“The thought of his community, Ponyan, and surrounding areas living in fear and anxiety, hesitant to tend to their farms, is a dire prospect. How can we tackle food insecurity when farmers and their crops are no longer safe? I urge the government to take immediate action to address the security challenges facing rural communities.”
