PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has expressed sympathy for the victims of the Hadejia floods which, according to received reports, destroyed over 100,000 hectares of rice farms in Jigawa State.
Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media & Publicity) in a statement on Tuesday at the State House, Abuja said the President while sympathizing with Hadejia flood victims, described the ugly incident as a setback to agriculture in the country.
“This level of destruction as a result of a natural disaster is unprecedented and devastating.
“The destruction to farmlands is particularly worrisome because it comes at a time my government is vigorously pursuing efforts to boost local rice production and end importation of the commodity”, President Buhari said.
He added that “since agriculture is the largest employer of labour and a major source of income for most ordinary Nigerians, the destruction of rice farms in Jigawa State is bad news not only for the victims, but also for the government policy of achieving food sufficiency and food security in the country”.
The President extended his sympathies to the victims and assured them that government would not abandon them.