Hunger Protest: Tinubu’s Minister Discloses Identity of Nigerian Governor Repackaging FG’s Rice

• Concerns rises over the actions of some hunger protesters who were reportedly looting the federal government's agricultural stores in some states
• Reacting to the development, the minister for Niger Delta Development, Abubakar Momoh, accuses Governor Godwin Obaseki of misappropriating federal food aid, following protests and looting of rice warehouses in Edo state
• Obaseki's aide, Crusoe Osagie reacted to the claim and shared further details on the state government’s feeding programme

Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements

Amid the 10-day hardship protest, the minister for Niger Delta Development, Abubakar Momoh, has accused Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State of re-bagging food items from the federal government to give the impression that the state government sponsored such relief materials for the people of the state.

Hunger protest: Minister tackles Obaseki over FG's rice

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On Wednesday morning, August 7, the minister appeared in a broadcast on Channels TV, and addressed the circulating claims that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had failed to deliver on his promise to distribute 20 trucks of rice to some states including Edo, to cushion the effects of food inflation in the country.

The minister denied this claim, saying that any state government insisting he had not received his share of the relief items was lying, SaharaReporters confirmed.

Speaking further, Momoh, an indigene of Edo State, said he watched on television how protesters broke into some warehouses and looted bags of rice which some state governors refused to share to the masses.

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Although he did not mention the affected states, protesters recently looted bags of rice in a warehouse in Edo.

He expressed anger that Obaseki, while addressing protesters recently, reportedly said he would take their message to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Daily Trust reported.

The minister said:

“I think any governor that says that he has not received 20 trucks of rice is not being fair.

“We expect such a governor to address the problems in Edo State. But rather what he does is that if the government brings relief like this, he repacks them and puts his name. We saw what happened during COVID-19 and that is something that is happening today.”

Reacting, the special adviser to the Edo state governor on media, Crusoe Osagie, in statement berated Momoh for “attempting to mislead the public” on the state government’s feeding programme.

Read more on hardship protests

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• “Find the reason behind protesters raising Russian Flag”: APC chieftain advises Tinubu
• Nigeria's hardship protests: Shehu Sani voiced concerns

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Police crackdown sponsors of hardship protests

In a related development, Legit.ng reported that the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun has announced that the police and security agencies have successfully identified and cut off sources of external funding fueling violent protests in Nigeria.

Egbetokun made this announcement during a joint press briefing led by Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Gwabin Musa, at the Defence Headquarters, on Tuesday, August 6.

Source: Legit.ng