Niger, the biggest state with land mass in Nigeria, intensifies drive for food sufficiency after massive investment in farm machinery recently.
It’s governor, Umar Bago, delivery of 300 tractors, from John Deere Ltd in order to boost food production in the state.
Bago controversially began shutting state borders against exporting of farm produce to other states, invariably aiding smuggling the items outside the country.
Though official statement from government indicates that the measure is cut out activities of middle men and restore food pricing to what is affordable, other sources aver that the measure is part of clandestine move to place food embargo on Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso who enjoy supplies from food routes in the West African Sub region.
The three West African countries pulled out of ECOWAS economic bloc.
But official statement from the Niger State government says that procurement of the tractors was a demonstration of the Bago-led administration to achieve food sufficiency program in the state.
Mr Bologi Ibrahim, the Chief press secretary to the governor said this in recently.