President Bola Tinubu has ordered the security agencies in the country to work with governors and go after those hoarding foodstuff.
Gatekeepers News reports that the President directed the National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun, and the Director General of the Department of State Service (DSS) Yusuf Bichi to work with the governors.
Nigeria has been battling a rise in the cost of food items occasioned by the removal of fuel subsidy and insecurity among other factors.
As part of moves to combat the food crisis in the country, the Minister of Information and National Orientation Mohammed Idris said Tinubu has mandated the heads of these security agencies and the NSA to liaise with governors to look at the issue.
Idris said after a meeting between President Tinubu and state governors on Thursday, “First, the National Security Adviser, Inspector General of Police; and Director General of the State Services have been directed to coordinate with the state governors to look at this issue of those hoarding commodities.
“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.
“So, the governors and Mr President have taken this decision that security agencies will collaborate with state governors to ensure this ends.”
Meanwhile, President Tinubu ordered the release of grains to ease the rising cost of food items with the Federal Government mulling importation of food.
However, Idris said that won’t be the case anymore.
The Minister said, “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.
“We do not also want to reverse some of the progress we have seen in terms of food production in this country. What we are seeing now is just a temporary difficulty that will soon go away.”
