President Bola Tinubu has taken decisive action to address the escalating cost of food items in Nigeria by ordering the National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun, and Director General of the Department of State Service (DSS) Yusuf Bichi to collaborate with governors in cracking down on those hoarding foodstuff.
The directive, issued following a meeting between President Tinubu and state governors, aims to alleviate the burden of rising food prices exacerbated by factors such as the removal of fuel subsidy and insecurity.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, emphasized the urgency of the situation, noting that while the nation requires access to food to ensure the well-being of its citizens, some individuals and entities are exploiting the situation for personal gain by hoarding commodities.
Idris reiterated the government’s commitment to ensuring food security and affordability for all Nigerians, stating, “At this point that the nation requires food to be brought out to the people so that we can control prices and put food on the table of most Nigerians, commodity sellers are busy hoarding these commodities so that Nigerians will suffer or they will make more money as a result.”
President Tinubu had previously ordered the release of grains to mitigate the impact of rising food prices, with the Federal Government considering importation of food.
However, in light of the latest developments, Idris announced a shift in strategy, emphasizing the need to prioritize domestic food production and discourage reliance on imports.
He asserted, “A decision has also been taken that in the interest of our country, there would be no need for food importation at this time. Nigeria has the potential to feed itself and be a net exporter of food items to other countries.”
Idris reassured Nigerians that the current challenges are temporary and expressed confidence that the nation’s food production capabilities will soon overcome these difficulties.
