Yobe State Curbing Fertilizer Use to Combat Insurgency

The Yobe State Government has introduced policies to curb the use of fertilizers that could be utilized by insurgents to manufacture improvised explosive devices. In an exclusive interview on Tuesday, Secretary to the State Government Mohammed Goje explained that these measures were necessary to deny terrorists access to bomb-making materials during the peak of Boko Haram insurgency.

The government has discouraged the cultivation of tall crops that could provide cover for non-state armed groups to launch attacks. Despite these restrictions, the government aims to support agricultural productivity by adopting alternative technologies and modern farming practices.

This includes the introduction of improved crop varieties and safer fertilizers that cannot easily be converted into explosives. Governor Mai Mala Buni's administration prioritizes restoring security and enabling internally displaced persons to return to farming, which remains a major source of livelihood for communities.

The state is also expanding mechanized farming and implementing two major agricultural empowerment programs to boost food production and support rural livelihoods.