Farming crucial to tackling insecurity in Northern Nigeria — Niger gov

Niger State Governor, Mohammed Bago has said that the insecurity challenges in the Northern part of the country can be addressed sufficiently with a return to land cultivation.

The Governor stated this on Saturday at the 10th edition of the Annual Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Lecture in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital on Saturday,  organised by the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation in collaboration with the Borno State Government.

The lecture is coming in the wake of rising cases of banditry and kidnapping in the Northern part of the country with Plateau State the biggest hit.

The lectures had the theme, “Creating pathways for peace: Tackling banditry and insurgency through good governance for sustainable development.”

In a statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Bologi Ibrahim, Bago acknowledged the role of the late Premier of Northern Nigeria, Sir Ahmadu Bello, who made the region famous for its agricultural production.

“Prior to the discovery of oil in Nigeria, the northern region was globally recognised as a giant in agriculture. So, there is the need to change the narrative by reverting to the old days and reduce the dependence on the Federal Government monthly allocation,” the statement read in part.

Bago also revealed the Niger State Government's plan for the agricultural sector saying he intends to use all ungoverned spaces which are responsible for banditry activities, with huge resources already in place for clearing of land, preparatory for agricultural production.

He also suggested the need to deploy technology to make farming easier and attractive to young Nigerians who are out in search of white-collar jobs.

On education, the governor said the North needs to sit down and chart a new course on ways to improve the sector.

He further called for a review of school curricula in tandem with what is obtainable globally to enable teeming youths to have skills that guarantee sustainable employment.