The Confederation of All Progressives Congress (APC) Support Groups has called on the Federal Government to secure farmlands to prevent farmers from being abducted by kidnappers or killed by bandits.
Director-General of the group, Prof. Kailani Muhammad, who spoke on Wednesday – yesterday, January 22 – at a news conference in Abuja, said the call became necessary in view of the overwhelming need to ensure food security and curb the biting hunger in Nigeria. .
Muhammad also urged the Nigerian military to deploy drones to farmlands and forests to monitor and report on suspected movements by insurgents and bandits for prompt counter actions.
“To ensure food security, the government should secure farmlands so that farmers can go to their farms without fear of being abducted by kidnappers or slain by bandits.
“The Nigerian Armed Forces should deploy drones to farmlands and forests to monitor and report on suspected movements by insurgents and bandits for prompt counter actions by the military.”
“Majority of Nigerians are uncomfortable with the unfriendly security and economic environment and the best way to come out of it is to overhaul the security architecture,” the group’s boss said.
Advising the federal government to invest in modern security infrastructure and training for personnel to effectively counter insurgency, banditry, and kidnappings, Muhammad said: “Insecurity has persisted despite concerted efforts by the Nigerian military. This could be attributed to the level of high unemployment, lack of effective coordinated synergy by security agencies.
“It is clear that insecurity in the country has subsequently snowballed into food insecurity. This signifies a deadly trap for the nation.
“Our duty as citizens is to actively participate in building the Nigeria we desire by holding leaders accountable.
“The first duty of any legally enshrined government is to ensure security of its citizens, economic stability of its nation, and provide an enabling environment for economic stability and employment. Any government that fails in these areas is not worth its name.
“As a concerned All Progressives Congress party stalwart and elder statesman, I feel concerned and offer my heartfelt advice, that our government, led by President Bola Tinubu, needs to wake up to these glaring lapses that have plunged Nigeria and her citizens below the poverty line.”
According to him, Nigeria is recognised as a beacon of hope for the West African Sub- region and the entire global black race.
“We cannot afford to fail. Because of this, we must acknowledge the fact that our challenges are surmountable. Consequently, we must, of necessity, chart a course and a path towards a brighter future,” he was quoted by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) as surmising.
