The Nigerian Governors’ Forum has commended President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration for securing funds to purchase weapons for security agencies to end insurgency and criminal activities.
The chairman of the forum, Dr Kayode Fayemi, gave the commendation when he fielded questions from State House correspondents after a closed door meeting with Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Monday.
According to him, the security agencies are being equipped with modern gadges and weapons to enable them to provide adequate security to citizens, including farmers to avoid food crisis in the country.
He stated that state governors were disturbed by the activities of bandits who constituted serious threats to agricultural activities in some parts of the country.
He said: “We are very concerned about that and it was one of the issues that came up in my discussion with the president.
“For us, there’s no use giving just verbal assurances, farmers need to see concrete action on the ground, dedicated to protecting them in doing their businesses.
“That is why majority of our states are very focused on the National Livestock Transformation Plan that would confine those who want to graze their cattle to a dedicated space rather than roaming around and destroying crops, leading to conflicts.
“But before that comes to fruition, on a state-by-state basis, we are all working hard and we need a wider strategy to enable us to achieve food security because if we don’t make concerted efforts, we will definitely end up with food shortage in the country.”
According to him, the president will be sending a supplementary budget to the National Assembly, meant to secure funds for the procurement of more equipment and modern weapons for the country’s security agencies.
He said the president wanted an accelerated action on the budgetary request, so as to fortify the military in their effort to end insurgency, banditry and other criminal activities across the country.
Fayemi also commended the zeal with which the new service chiefs had been carrying out their duties as well as the synergy existing among them.
According to Fayemi, the collaboration between the service chiefs will lead to more successes in the fight against insurgency.
“Because we know what has been the source of inter-service rivalry in our military, which also affects performance on the field yet, they are supposed to be engaged in the same war against insurgency.(NAN)
