Obasanjo: There’ll be less banditry, kidnapping if youths are employed

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo says there will be less banditry in Nigeria if young people are provided jobs. 

Obasanjo spoke on Tuesday during the international trade exhibition and conference on agrofood, plastics, printing and packaging, in Lagos.

The theme of the conference was ‘Nigeria’s Technology Investments: Driving growth in Agrofood, Plastics, Printing and Packaging’.

Speaking at the conference, Obasanjo said the security situation in the country will improve if young people can be engaged through agriculture.

The former president said the business of agriculture has the tendency to provide job opportunities for many people.

“With our teeming population and the problem we have of our youths going over the desert and risking their lives, we can give them enough employment,” he said.

“The area we are sure that can provide enough employment for our youths is agricultural business.

“Even though, when we talk about agriculture, not many of them will want to go to the farm, they will rather go for white collar jobs.

“However, the youth need to get their hands dirty and their feet wet in agricultural business.

“The government can improve on our security, and part of our insecurity are the men and women that are not properly engaged or employed.

“If we are able to give them employment, then there will be less of them getting involved in banditry, kidnapping and other criminal activities.”

Obasanjo added that Nigeria must make agribusiness “glamorous” for young people, stating that the country can solve the problems of insecurity, malnutrition, and food insecurity through agriculture.