CSOs Partner NCTC To Protect Farmers In Borno

The Network of Civil Society Organisations in Borno State (NECSOB) has strengthened its partnership with the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), to protect farming communities through the NCTC-led AgriShield initiative.

The Executive Director of NECSOB, Abubakar Abdullahi Suleiman, disclosed in a statement that the partnership yielded a recent AgriShield town hall meeting in Maiduguri.

According to him, the event was organised by NECSOB in partnership with the NCTC, where farmers and community members came together to discuss the challenges affecting their daily lives.

He said, “Participants raised concerns about ongoing insecurity preventing access to farmland, increasing competition for limited agricultural land and the destruction of crops by cattle entering farms.”

He added that these concerns have been brought to the attention of the NCTC, which is coordinating with relevant government ministries and security agencies to identify appropriate responses.

Suleiman said NECSOB, through its network of more than 200 civil society organisations, is supporting the delivery of AgriShield by connecting communities with the NCTC and security services, gathering local insights and ensuring that community concerns inform government coordination and decision-making.

The Director of Administration, Network of Civil Society Organisations (NECSOB) in Borno State, Dr Abdullahi Maina, in his remarks, said, “AgriShield demonstrates the importance of government and civil society working together.”

He added that the National Counter Terrorism Centre is leading efforts to strengthen cooperation between communities and security services, while NECSOB’s role remains to ensure that the voices of those most affected are heard.

He added, “Farmers have raised important concerns about their safety and livelihoods. By working closely with the NCTC, we can help bring these issues to the attention of the relevant authorities and support practical steps to address them.”

The engagement reflects AgriShield’s wider whole-of-society approach, recognising that improving community security requires government, security agencies, civil society and citizens to work together.

He assured that NECSOB will continue to support the NCTC-led initiative through community engagements, radio programmes and public information activities, encouraging communities to share security information, follow local security advice and participate in efforts to create safer conditions for farming.

“If you have any security concerns, you can report them toll-free on 112.”