President Muhammadu Buhari said on Thursday that the government would ensure that current insecurity preventing farmers from going to farms is brought to an end to prevent a food supply crisis in the country.
Buhari made the declaration in his address to journalists after saying the Eid-il-Fitri prayers at the State House in Abuja to mark the Ramadan fast that started a month ago.
His statement was conveyed in a statement issued by his Senior Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, under the title, ‘President Buhari Pledges Action Against Bandits’ Threat to National Food Security.’
Shehu announced that Buhari said “the law enforcement agencies are working hard to regain confidence against bandits so that we can go back to the land. This is very important,” noting that the President hoped for a good rainy season this year
“This is what the agencies are busy doing right now. We want people to go back to the land so that we can get enough food for the country and even export.”
A wave of insecurity sweeping across Nigeria has paralyzed economic activities in the rural areas, as armed herdsmen have continued to wage war against farmers. They attack farmers, hack some to death and inflict cuts on others, as they graze their cattle on farmlands. This has forced many farmers to stay away from the farms.
Shehu further explained that Buhari pointed to recent security meetings chaired by him, adding that some resolutions have been made public while some kept secret, as he explained the efforts by the government to tackle the high level of insecurity in the country.
“With the resources and manpower available to us, we are working very hard. We are hoping Nigerians will understand the problem. Nigerians know at what stage we came in in 2015, what state we are today both on security and the economy and we are doing our best,” the statement concluded.
