Kidnapping now new occupation for youths— Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, expressed concern over the current insecurity bedeviling the nation, saying kidnapping has now become an occupation as well as industry for the youths.

Buhari, who was represented by Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, during the flag-off of distribution of cotton seeds and inputs to 100,000 cotton farmers for 2019 planting season in Katsina, attributed the insecurity to lack of jobs for the youths.

He was, however, quick to say that the revival of cotton production and textile industries will help create more jobs.

He said: “The mistakes of yesterday are causing us anxieties today. Our children are graduating from universities and polytechnics and they can’t find a job to do.

“Some will return home to another childhood begging you and myself for recharge cards, clothings because there are no factories, no agriculture programme, no industries and because the government can no longer employ more workers since paying those who are working today is not easy.

“So our youths, our children have turned to a new industry which is causing fear in the heart of all of us, namely kidnapping, abduction and all kinds of crimes, including rustling of cattle.

“How long can we endure as a country in these circumstances? How can we survive when kidnapping is a new occupation and a business? And what is the cause of this situation? Anger and frustration among our youths. The crisis was being borne by the disenchantment and anger among our children.

“The textile industry engages close to one and half million people. The textiles in Kaduna, Kano, Ikeja, Aba disappeared and we became a nation of importer of textiles.

“Imagine how much we spend importing textile materials. All these are jobs that have disappeared and the consequences are now what we are seeing, kidnapping, totally unreasonable violence.

“We became a nation of importers. And we were told by some brilliant economist that it was cheaper to import than to produce. Of course, because of certain criteria, yes. But the cost of importation is the cause of crises we have today. Our children are angry, they have gone out of control and doing things which are frightening everybody. We have to change.

“We have to make fundamental changes in our approach to life. And agriculture has the key to solving many of the problems we are facing. We have to create jobs.”