Nigeria Minister of Defense, Bashir Magashi, has said that the increase in the prices of foodstuffs was caused by the growing spate of insecurity in the country. ayokinews.com reports
Magashi, made this known while speaking at the opening ceremony of a retreat for defence advisers/attaches, organised by the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) on Monday, in Abuja.
The Defense minister noted that the terror attacks by insurgents such as Boko Haram, ISWAP and banditry, poses a great threat to the security of Nigeria.
Speaking further, Magashi explained that the high rate of piracy and illegal oil bunkering in the south-south region and the secessionist campaign of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in the southeastern region, are also threats to the existence of Nigeria.
He said, “The threats currently facing Nigeria and understanding their socio-geographic context is pivotal for adapting appropriate and lasting counter-measures.
President Buhari Saved Nigeria From Being Consumed By Insurgency – Adesina
“Regrettably, the prevalence of these threats has continued to endanger not only national security and economic growth, but also food security.
“In particular, food security has been adversely affected with the attendant rise in the prices of foodstuff across the country which portends a new dimension of threat.
“This makes it imperative for the various security agencies in the country to continue to collaborate to tackle this menace in order to create an enabling atmosphere for economic activities to thrive and to attract foreign direct investment.
“It also means that the security agencies must explore all avenues within their respective systems to come up with innovative ways of identifying and confronting the challenges facing us as a nation.”
