National leader of the All Progressives Congress, Senator Bola Tinubu, on Saturday, called on Nigerians not to allow those he described as “agents of destruction” to succeed in Nigeria, saying strong forces were bent on breaking the country by unleashing violence, terror and criminality.

The former governor of Lagos State, who stated this at the 23rd-25th combined convocation of the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Benue State, urged Nigerians to embrace peace and unity.

Tinubu explained that the enemies of the country were attacking agricultural players, which he said would have a negative impact on national food security.

He said, “We approach a defining moment as a nation. A reckoning of special importance beckons. We must decide whether to give the truest meaning to our national motto ‘peace and unity’ or allow the agents of destruction and merchants of violence to have their way with us.

“Terrible people and strong forces want to break Nigeria’s appointment with its greater destiny. These people have unleashed terror and violent criminality against us.

“By attacking agricultural players across the nation, they seek not only to ravage the agricultural community, but to visit misery on the rest of the nation through food scarcity and food costs that poor people can simply not afford.

“In effect, these mean forces seek to impose a food production and distribution crisis on us by disrupting strategically important agricultural areas and activities.”

Noting that the country had not reached the Promised Land, the APC leader stressed the need for unity.

Tinubu underscored the importance of encouraging mechanised farming, saying the nation’s future depended on how much agricultural produce it could produce.

He advised the graduands to represent their alma mater well in all they did and urged them to strive to be the best they could be as their destinies were in their hands.

The ex-governor was one of five prominent Nigerians awarded honorary doctoral degrees by the institution.

Others were Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva; Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele; former governor of Adamawa State, Vice Admiral Murtala Nyako; and Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Melee Kyari.

Meanwhile, a former presidential candidate of the defunct National Republic Convention, Alhaji Bashir Tofa, says most of those agitating for the disintegration of Nigeria are fanatics or people who have lost relevance in the country.

Tofa made the remark while reacting to agitations for the country’s separation.

He said, “Nigeria has a lot of enemies both within and outside the country and this is a key factor in driving the agitations for the separation of this country, and for instigating our Christian brothers and sisters to hate Islam and Muslims.

“If you examine the kind of people who are making these noises, you will find out that they are fanatics a long time ago, but because things have changed and time has changed and they are probably nobody anymore, their resentment drives them to ensure there is no peace, especially between Muslims and Christians in the country.”

Tofa said it was time for everyone in the country to know that they needed one another to live in peace and to ignore the country’s enemies.

“The more we answer them and care about what they are doing, the more we help them achieve their selfish aim,” he said.

According to Tofa, no sane person will support the country’s disintegration.

He, therefore, called on the Federal Government to check the excesses of “unpatriotic elements” by arresting and prosecuting them in accordance with the country’s laws.