A civil society organisation, Initiative for Leadership Development, has called on Nigerian youths to refrain from crime and embrace agriculture in 2025.

Its president, Ugochukwu Nnam, gave the advice in an interview in Abuja on Sunday.

Mr Nnam said agricultural transformation can secure national food security and establish thriving exports for Nigeria, such as in countries like Israel and Holland.

He frowned upon the youths’ emigration to foreign countries for menial and servile jobs.

“The mad rush into foreign countries for menial jobs should stop. We just need to look inward and utilise our God-given land through agriculture. Nigeria is a blessed country with vast land and water essential for agricultural productivity, so 2025 is a year to utilise this gift instead of embarking on ungodly ventures,” he said.

The ILDC boss, who scored President Bola Tinubu high in economic transformation, urged him to improve in the area of food security. He noted that collaboration between the government and the people through agricultural vocation was the only way out of hunger.

Mr Nnam lauded Tinubu’s economic policies, which he said were long-term policies that would benefit the country in the long run.

“We are not where we are supposed to be, but we are at least making progress,” he said.

Mr Nnam reiterated his confidence in the president’s economic policies and urged Nigerians to support him.

The ILDC also lauded President Tinubu for engendering local governments’ autonomy in accordance with the principles of federalism.

(NAN)