Minna Protest: Nerves Heightened as Tinubu Gives Crucial Presidential Order on Food Prices

• Following the mass protest staged against the federal government by residents of Minna, Niger state, an action plan by the president was launched
• President Bola Tinubu, as part of his action plan, summoned an immediate strategic meeting on the cost of food nationwide
• The minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, confirmed this development and stated that more strategic meetings would be held in the coming days

Legit.ng journalist Segun Adeyemi has over 9 years of experience covering political events, civil societies, courts, and metro

FCT, Abuja - The recent protest in Minna, Niger State, about the surge in food prices and deteriorating economic conditions has caused concern within the Bola Tinubu administration.

It has also prompted the president to urgently instruct officials to devise strategies to tackle the escalating food prices nationwide.

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This revelation came from Mohammed Idris, the minister of Information and National Orientation, following a gathering of the presidential committee on Emergency Food Intervention in Abuja on Tuesday.

Idris emphasised the president's apprehension regarding the availability and affordability of food commodities nationwide.

As quoted by Premium Times, the minister said:

“The government is very concerned about what Nigerians are going through, especially what happened in Minna yesterday.

“Therefore government is taking some actions to ensure that Nigerians have some relief in terms of the availability of food on the table.⁣”

FG to hold more meetings

The minister announced that the committee meeting will be extended until Thursday, noting that they are currently discussing essential actions to improve the dire situation.

He stated that the government knew that individuals were causing food shortages due to the steep prices and currency devaluation.

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Mr Idris said:

“Government will not fold its arms and see the way Nigerians are suffering in terms of the availability of these food items. So I want to plead with you to understand with the government.

“By the time these meetings are concluded, we’ll be able to issue a definite statement on what the position of government is in this regard.”

High-ranking officials, including the President's Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, Central Bank Governor Yemi Cardoso, Finance Minister Wale Edun, and National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, joined the gathering.

Also present were Agriculture Minister Abubakar Kyari, Budget and Economic Planning Minister Atiku Bagudu, and Ministers of State for Agriculture Sabi Abdullahi and FCT Mariya Mahmoud.

Journalist recommends solutions to Nigeria's food security problem

Meanwhile, the United Nations (UN) in 2023 estimated that more than 25 million people in Nigeria could face food insecurity.

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This unpalatable development is mainly due to ongoing insecurity, protracted conflicts, and the projected rise in food prices.

A journalist, Uloma Onyemachi, examined the impact of insecurity on Nigeria's chances of achieving food security and recommended how to fix the problem.

Source: Legit.ng