Quelea birds and grasshoppers have destroyed farm produce worth millions of naira in twelve villages of Illela Local Government Area of Sokoto State, the Chairman of the council, Alhaji Abdullahi Haruna, has said.
Haruna told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Sokoto on Saturday that the swarms had been attacking farms in the area in the last two weeks.
The chairman listed the affected villages as Gati, Mallamawa, Diboni, Runguwar Ja’o, Bakin Dutse, Gidan Kirya, Araba, Mullela, Sonane, Runji, Tumbulukun and Munwadata.
He stated that farmers in the affected areas had lost their produce, mostly millet, guinea corn, beans, groundnut, rice, onions, cabbage, garlic and other vegetables.
“The grasshoppers are still ravaging farmlands in all the affected villages,including Kamalo lake.
“No fewer than 120 extension workers and other related officials from the state Ministry of Agriculture and the Agriculture Department of the local government are still conducting a spray exercise against the rampaging pests.
“We are also reliably informed that their colleagues from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture will commence such sprays in the affected villages.”
Abdullahi disclosed that the local government had commenced assessment of losses recorded in order to render assistance to the affected farmers.(NAN)
