Desertification has driven several communities in the Yusufari Local Government Area of Yobe to abandon their ancestral lands. The advancing sand dunes have overrun lands and homes, making these areas uninhabitable for both people and animals.
Alhaji Baba Aji, Executive Chairman of Yusufari Local Government Council, reported that the dunes have forced many residents to seek refuge in Kaska village and Nguru town. Areas like Tulo-Tulo and Bula-Tura, which border the Niger Republic, are also heavily affected.
Aji expressed concern that the dunes are threatening the region’s critical water sources, particularly the oases essential for agriculture. These oases are crucial for growing crops such as sugarcane, tomatoes, cassava, groundnuts, and potatoes. If the oases dry up, many residents face severe economic hardship.
Despite efforts by local and state governments, the Great Green Wall project, and various NGOs, the situation remains dire. Aji has appealed to the Federal Government and the Ecological Fund office to declare a State of Emergency on desertification in Yusufari and to establish shelter belts to combat the advancing dunes. He proposed a sand dunes fixation program involving tree planting to protect the land.
On a positive note, Aji praised Governor Mai Mala Buni for providing mini farm machinery and other agricultural inputs, which have been timely and beneficial. However, recent flooding and erosion have caused additional damage, leading to a call for further assistance from the state government and the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA).