By Deborah Nnamdi
The Federal Government is redirecting its priorities from military hardware to agricultural tools in a strategic effort to strengthen food security. This includes replacing armored tanks with tractors and machine guns with milking machines, according to the Minister of Livestock Development, Dr. Abubakar Maiha.
Dr. Maiha made this known during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the National Counter Terrorism Centre – Office of the National Security Adviser (NCTC-ONSA) and the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA) on Friday in Abuja.
He said the initiative aims to modernize the livestock sector and boost food production through the adoption of advanced technology and precision farming. The partnership between NCTC and IITA, he noted, provides a meaningful framework for reintegrating ex-combatants into society while supporting President Bola Tinubu’s food security agenda.
“When people are meaningfully engaged, they are less likely to be drawn into violent activities, regardless of the temptation,” he said. “Our vision is for Nigeria’s rural areas to reflect this transformation—tractors instead of tanks, milking machines instead of guns. These are the tools we want to define our countryside.”
Dr. Maiha added that the ministry will collaborate with NCTC-ONSA and other government agencies to empower women and youth across the country.
Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development Hajiya Iman Suleiman-Ibrahim lauded the collaboration as a forward-thinking approach to promoting peace and security. She emphasized that agro-business and empowerment initiatives address the root causes of violent extremism, particularly among vulnerable groups such as women and youth.
She highlighted the critical role of women and family units in building resilient communities and pledged her ministry’s support in ensuring their active involvement in community development and livelihood programs.
Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State, represented by his Deputy, Dr. Emmanuel Akabe, underscored the need for all tiers of government to support the initiative, especially in light of the security challenges affecting agriculture and development in the North Central region.
He noted that military force alone cannot resolve the region’s security issues and called for integrated approaches like the MoU to better connect food security, agriculture, and counterterrorism efforts.
Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State, represented by Secretary to the State Government Malam Bukarti Tijani, stated that Borno has over 200,000 repentant insurgents. He stressed the importance of non-military strategies, such as agriculture-based reintegration, to sustain peace and livelihoods in resettled communities across the Northeast.
