New Telegraph

We’ll deal with bandits to ensure food security, Buhari pledges

…expresses surprise at happenings in N’West
…explains lengthy process in procurement of military hardware

President Muhammadu Buhari has pledged to deal with bandits across the country in order to ensure that they do not stop access to farms and create food insecurity in Nigeria The President gave this assurance Thursday while speaking to newsmen after observing the Eid prayer after the one-month long Ramadan fast at the Presidential Villa. According to a release by his spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu, the President, who craved for understanding from the elites in his government’s efforts to address the lingering security challenges in the country, also expressed surprise at the security developments in the North-west region of the country. While hoping for a good rainy season this year, Buhari assured that the security agents are working tirelessly to regain their confidence against the bandits so that people could return to their farms.

“This is very important. 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,” he said. On his efforts to address the security situation in the country, the President drew attention to a series of long meetings of the Security Council and the resolutions reached, some of which had been made public by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno (rtd.).

He reminded the people to compare the nation’s security situation he inherited in 2015 with what obtains now, stressing, however, that he was doing his best. While commending the National Assembly for cooperation with him by giving priority to his requests for resources for the military, the President appealed to the nation’s elites to show a better appreciation of the problems facing the country.

“The elite should make an attempt at understanding the military. If we order for weapons and armoured vehicles, it takes time for the manufacturers. It takes time to ship them and when brought here eventually, they are taken to training institutions; they then need to train the trainers before sending them to the field. This is a very long process,” he explained. “I expect Nigerians to be more understanding on the issues involved, looking at time and available resources. For example, when we came in, in the Northeast, ask people in Adamawa and Borno states and the South South in terms of security. Without security, you can’t do anything. Our big surprise and disappointment is what is happening in the Northwest and we are dealing with it,” he added.

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