Covenant University’s vice-chancellor, Abiodun Adebayo, has emphasised the need for the federal government to redouble its efforts to tackle insecurity and achieve food sufficiency.

Mr Adebayo told journalists on Saturday in Ota that insecurity had negatively impacted the nation’s food supply chain.

According to him, there is a high level of food insecurity in Nigeria as a result of security challenges such as armed banditry and kidnappings confronting the nation.

“The federal government must begin to look inwards to see how to tackle insecurity so that food can be made available to everyone,” he said.

The vice-chancellor said insecurity was a critical factor driving the inflationary trend in the country.

“Farmers can no longer go to their farms to produce due to numerous attacks by bandits and kidnappers.

“This development is affecting food production, distribution and availability, and thus translating to a higher level of food insecurity and inflation rate in the country,” he noted.

Mr Adebayo added that the nation’s inflation figure, released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), showed an inflation rate of about 28.99 per cent in December 2023.

He said it was 29.92 percent in January 2024, 31.70 per cent in February and 33.2 per cent in March.

The vice-chancellor urged the federal government to re-strategise and collaborate with relevant stakeholders to find lasting solutions to insecurity.

(NAN)