Former governor of Sokoto State, Attahiru Dalhatu Bafarawa, has called on both the federal and state governments across the country to tackle the current insecurity so as to end the scarcity of food in the country.
The former Presidential candidate identified insecurity as one major factor causing food scarcity, especially in the Northern part of the country.
He explained that more than half the population of farmers in the region has abandoned their farms for fear of being attacked by bandits or kidnappers.
The elder statesman stated this in Sokoto on Sunday while speaking with members of the correspondent chapel who paid him a congratulatory visit over the successful wedding ceremony for some of his children over the weekend.
Bafarawa explained that some of the farmers in his village in Bafarawa, Isa local government area of the state still secure permission from bandits before accessing their farmlands.
He advised both the federal and state governments to join hands in the fight against insecurity.
He said despite the launch of the security outfits launched in some parts of the Northwest, both the federal and state government still needs to work together to end insecurity.
“The issue of insecurity which has limited farming, especially in the Northern part of the country is the major cause of food insecurity.
“Government especially at the federal level must take the issue of insecurity very seriously so as to tackle the menace of food scarcity in the country.
“Most farmers including myself could not access our farms again. I have been operating Bafarawa farms on 10,000 hectares of land in the Birni Gwari area of Kaduna since 1976, but today I cannot access the farm again.
“The scarcity of food is because of insecurity in the land. Government should do the needful so as to tackle the menace and improve on the availability of food to the populace”
He further called on leaders in the Northern region to tackle the menace of underdevelopment facing the region so as to bring the region to the same level as its peers in other regions
Speaking on the current crop of political officeholders in the country, he said most of them prioritise politics to make money rather than the development of their states or constituencies.
He disclosed that the current ways of politicking in the country is not the same as the politics during the first and second republic.
According to him, “When I joined politics in the 70s, our aim then was to develop the state and the country not for making money.
“I felt somehow these days when I heard politicians spending billions of naira to become Governor or Senator”
He, however, called on the current crop of leaders across the country to wake up and put an end to the suffering of the masses in the country.
“We need to remember that there is a day of judgement and whatever we do today, each and every one of us will account for our deeds in this life.
“It is time for all our elected leaders to go back to the drawing board and fulfil their electioneering promises to the people.”
He further called on leaders in the Northern region to tackle the menace of underdevelopment facing the region so as to bring the region to the same level as its peers in other regions.
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