Farmers and ranchers across Nigeria are calling for the right to bear arms as bandit attacks continue to devastate rural communities and farmlands.

At A & A Harmony Farms in Ogun State, armed assailants recently disabled surveillance cameras and floodlights before stealing eight cattle worth about ₦16 million. The attack was the second in three months, leaving the owner frustrated and fearful. “Some are now quitting the business altogether,” he said.

Similar attacks have swept through Nigeria’s North and Middle Belt. In Benue State, over 100 people were killed in a single incident, while dozens of forest guards were gunned down in Kwara. Thousands of farmers have fled their lands, raising fears of worsening food shortages.

Supporters of gun rights argue that farmers should be allowed to defend themselves since security forces often arrive too late. Critics warn that wider gun access could fuel more violence and worsen communal clashes.

Analysts note that the debate highlights a deeper crisis: as insecurity spreads, many Nigerians no longer trust the state to protect them.