Quelea birds ruin farm produce worth millions of Naira, in 12 villages

Quelea birds and grasshoppers have destroyed farm produce worth millions of naira in twelve villages of Illela LGA of Sokoto State, the Chairman of the council, Alhaji Abdullahi Haruna, has said. He said 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 mentioned that farmers in the affected areas had lost farm produce like mostly millet, guinea corn, beans, groundnut, rice, onions, cabbage, garlic and other vegetables.

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.