Price Hike: Tinubu orders security chiefs to go after warehouses, merchants hoarding food

…Agrees with Govs on creation of state police

President Bola Tinubu has directed the Inspector-General of Police, National Security Adviser and Department of State Security Services to embark on monitoring warehouses hoarding food items across the country and stop profiteering by merchants.

The President’s directive is in response to the recent hike in food items across the Country with some reports revealing hoarding of food items by merchants in warehouses has further worsened the crisis.

The President on Thursday as part of the decisions in his meeting in company of Vice President Kashim Shettima with the 36 state governors and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, held at the State House in Abuja, directed that the State Governments and the Federal Government should collaborate to increase local food production.

The President advised against the idea of food importation and price control when local food producers should be encouraged to produce more food.

Tinubu advised Governors to follow the example of Kano State in dealing with the hoarding of food for profiteering by commodities merchants. He charged Governors to pay attention to livestock development in their states and increase production most especially poultry and fishing products.

The meeting was necessitated by the rising price of food items and insecurity, and delayed/non-payment of salaries and gratuities owed workers, retirees and pensioners, amongst others.

According to a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga other grounds agreed on especially on the rising cost of food and insecurity, include “on addressing insecurity which is also affecting farming and food production, President Tinubu made three key pronouncements.

“More police personnel are to be recruited to strengthen the force. President Tinubu informed the Governors that the Federal Government will work with them and the National Assembly towards putting in place a mechanism that will engender state police instead of the vigilantes that are being used in some states.

“The President charged the Governors to strengthen their Forest Rangers and arm them to keep all the forests safe from criminals. Modalities for State Police and addressing security issues are to be discussed further at the National Economic Council.”

The statement also revealed the President pleaded with Governors to ensure all salary arrears to workers and gratuities to retired workers and pensioners are cleared as a way to put money into the hands of the people since states are now getting more monthly FAAC revenue. “Spend the money, don’t spend the people”, he urged the governors.

President Tinubu implored the Governors to create more economic opportunities for the youths in their states to keep them more productively engaged.

“After extensive deliberations, the President and Governors agreed to work together to solve the problems and tackle the economic pressure being faced by the citizens,” the statement revealed.

Recall recently there were protests in some parts of the country in lamentation of the rising cost of food items in the Country.

Speaking to journalist on the outcome of Thursday’s meeting, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, similarly disclosed that President Tinubu ordered the trio of the National Security Adviser  Nuhu Ribadu, the Inspector General of Police  Kayode Egbetokun, and the Director General of the Department of State Service  Yusuf Bichi to collaborate with governors and go after those hoarding foodstuff.

He said, “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, 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.”

On the government’s plan to import food to ease the rising cost of food items, Idris said that won’t be necessary as the country has the potential to feed itself.

“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,” he said.

“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,” he added.