Tinubu orders Police, SSS,NSA to go after food hoarders

On Thursday, Nigeria Police, the State Security Service (SSS), and National Security Advisor Nuhu Ribadu were given orders by President Bola Tinubu to pursue food hoarders.

In response to the nation’s rising food prices, Mr. Tinubu made this request during a meeting at the State House with 36 state governors.

“We have read reports about widespread food hoarding in some warehouses from Kano,” Mr. Tinubu stated. “The Director-General of the Department of State Services, the Inspector-General of Police, and the National Security Adviser (NSA) should work closely together to ensure that security agencies in the states inspect such warehouses and take appropriate action afterward.”

“We must make sure that speculators, hoarders, and rent seekers are not allowed to undermine our efforts in guaranteeing the widespread availability of food to all Nigerians,” Mr. Tinubu continued.

Saying that his administration “would rather support farmers with the schemes that will make them go to the farm and grow more food for everyone in the country,” the president rejected the idea of importing food.

Nigerians were forced to take to the streets last week in protests in the states of Niger, Kano, Osun, and Lagos due to skyrocketing food prices brought on by economic inflation.

The Northern Traditional Council, which is chaired by Sultan of Sokoto Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, issued a warning last Wednesday, stating that the nation’s growing poverty, hunger, and instability may soon drive people to overthrow Mr. Tinubu’s administration.

According to a market survey conducted by Peoples Gazette on Wednesday, since Mr. Tinubu took office in May 2023, inflation has driven up the cost of most food goods.