Nigerians can now buy bag of rice at N40,000, no need for protests, says FG

• Idris: Tinubu ‘already protesting’ by meeting aggrieved citizens’ demands

• Reps to hold emergency session tomorrow

• Unusual military, police presence in Abuja

• IGP orders DIGs, AIGs, CPs to protect protesters nationwide

• NBA, NACCIMA, OPS call for dialogue, engagement

With 48 hours to go in the countdown to the nationwide protests against hunger, Nigerians planning to join should begin to rethink their stance.

The glimmer of hope came yesterday as Minister of Information and National Orientation Mohammed Idris revealed that the government has launched several initiatives aimed at alleviating the economic hardships facing Nigerians.

Idris spoke to reporters after the ninth sitting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, which President Tinubu chaired at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

According to the minister, the federal government has trucked rice to various centres across the country, and the commodity is currently being sold for N40,000.

“The position of the FEC is that most of the demands that the protesters are making are actually being addressed by the federal government. Therefore, it is the government’s view that there is really no need for the protests. And like we have said repeatedly, this is a listening government,” he said.

Idris stressed: “The President has listened to the voices of all those who are planning this protest. And the message is that there is no need for it. Indeed, the President is already protesting on their behalf by doing those things that they want a government to do, for example, the effort that the government is making to ensure that food is being made available.”

The minister clarified: “At the last council meeting here, at the briefing, we announced that a number of trucks, 20 precisely, had been given to the state governors for onward distribution to the poorest of the poor in society and those who are actually in need. But the government did not stop there. There is also rice which is being sold at about 50 per cent of its cost; a bag of rice is being sold at N40,000 as we speak now.

“This rice has been taken to various centres across all the states of the federation and is being sold at N40,000. Centres have been created so that those who need this rice can go there and buy it.

“In the first instance, about 10 trucks have been made available to each of these states, and indeed, this is just the beginning. I know that some of the comments you hear are that it is never enough. The government has not pretended that these supplies are indeed enough. But these are necessary first steps.”

The minister appealed to the would-be protesters to reconsider their actions, warning of the potential for demonstrations to be hijacked by “unscrupulous elements.”

He stressed that while peaceful protest is a democratic right, the government believes the current circumstances do not warrant such actions.

“There is just no need for that,” Idris insisted, urging citizens to allow time for the government’s interventions to take full effect across various sectors, including healthcare, agriculture, and infrastructure.

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives will hold an emergency plenary tomorrow.

In a memo dated July 28, 2024, Speaker Abbas Tajudeen directed the lawmakers to attend.

Although the memo didn’t state the reason for the plenary, it was gathered that it was not unconnected with the planned protests.

The memo reads, “On the directive of the Speaker, Abbas Tajudeen, please be informed that there will be a plenary sitting on Wednesday, July 31, 2024. You are kindly requested to make necessary arrangements to attend as important matters will be deliberated upon during this session.

“We regret any inconvenience caused by the interruption of the yearly recess. However, we count on the dedication and patriotism that the 10th Assembly is known for.

“Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.”

This was as the Nigerian capital, Abuja, began witnessing the deployment of security operatives to strategic areas, a move that indicates the government’s determination to maintain law and order.

Armed personnel of the Nigerian Army, the Police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) have been sighted in Hilux vans at Lokogoma, Unity Fountain, Eagle Square and others.

However, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, directed the top brass of the police to protect the intended participants in the planned protests.

This was contained in a letter from the IGP at the request of human rights lawyer Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa.

Adegboruwa, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), had written the IGP on July 26, 2024, to provide police coverage for protesters. He wrote on behalf of the Take It Back Movement, one of the groups planning the protest.

The IGP, in his response letter dated July 29, 2024, directed senior police officers to attend to the request of the senior lawyer.

Egbetokun’s response was signed by his Principal Staff Officer, CP Johnson Adenola.

The IGP also requested to meet with Adegboruwa in Abuja today “to deliberate further” on his request.

Adenola said: “I am to inform you that the Inspector General of Police has directed the Deputy Inspectors-General of Police (Operations and Intelligence), the Assistant Inspectors-General of Police (AIGs) in charge of Zonal Police Headquarters and the Commissioners of Police (CPs) in charge of State Commands across the country to attend to your request.

“I am also to inform you that the Inspector General of Police wishes to meet with you at the Nigeria Police Force Headquarters, Abuja, on Tuesday, 30th July 2024, to deliberate further on your request.”

Relatedly, the Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Ahmed Audi, ordered commandants and state commanders nationwide to review strategies and deploy personnel across hotspots to prevent the protest from being hijacked by criminal elements.

At a meeting with the officers in Abuja, Audi said intelligence shows that hoodlums plan to hijack the protests therefore, the NSCDC will deploy 30,000 personnel to protect critical national assets and infrastructure as well as civilians.

He said: “We don’t want violence, we don’t want destruction, we don’t want killings, we don’t want burning of properties. Do your job professionally and make sure you don’t molest any citizen.

“Nigerians have the right to protest, but tracing the history of protests in Nigeria, most have been hijacked by bad elements. Your duty is to make sure that the protest is peaceful.”

Audi also called for calm, urging the public to trust the current administration in solving Nigeria’s economic hardship.

AHEAD of the planned protests, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) called for caution and urged those behind it to reconsider.

The association urged the federal government, organisers, and supporters to call off the protest and come together for a more frank and sincere discussion on what must be done to immediately begin to turn around the people’s plight for good.

In a statement, the outgoing NBA President, Mr Yakubu Maikyau, said mechanisms should be put in place for regular government and people engagement.

Titled ‘Our call on government and appeal to the people of Nigeria on the planned nationwide protest,’ Maikyau said timelines for certain specific actions should be established and implemented as the circumstances dictate.

The NBA boss called on members of the federal and state legislatures to immediately engage with their constituents based on the plans of government at the federal and subnational levels to address the demands of the people.

“We further recommend that a National Security Summit be convened, where serving and retired military, police, intelligence, and other law enforcement officers will assemble to re-examine our security situation and proffer workable solutions and implementation strategies.

“Traditional institutions and religious leaders should be co-opted and given specific tasks in this regard. Civil society organisations should be engaged at all levels of the proposed dialogue and in monitoring the implementation of the decisions that may be reached,” the statement noted.

The NBA also called on the Tinubu administration to announce deadlines for specific fundamental economic steps that would be taken towards economic recovery.

Similarly, in a statement, the Organised Private Sector of Nigeria (OPSN) reiterated the need for dialogue and engagement between the government and concerned citizens.

The statement reads: “The OPSN, encompassing the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce Industry Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), Nigeria Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (NASME) and Nigerian Association of Small Scale Industrialists (NASSI), has carefully considered the planned protest by certain citizens in response to current challenges affecting public welfare.

“As an apolitical umbrella body representing major business membership organisations in Nigeria, the OPSN prioritises the importance of dialogue and engagement between the government and concerned citizens. We firmly believe that open and constructive dialogue is the most effective tool for addressing the nation’s challenges and encouraging the desired changes. We urge all parties to embrace this path of dialogue to achieve meaningful and lasting solutions for the benefit of our country.

“However, should the decision to protest be made, we earnestly appeal for it to be conducted in a peaceful and orderly atmosphere. A peaceful protest will ensure that citizens can express their concerns without infringing upon the rights of others or disrupting legal and lawful activities. It will also allow the government to respond appropriately and facilitate a productive engagement that could lead to future collaboration on the outcomes of such engagements.

“As representatives of the business community, we are acutely aware of the potential economic impact of mass protests. Our members are crucial drivers of economic growth and job creation; therefore, any disruption to business operations could have significant repercussions on the economy and the livelihoods of the people.”

The OPS added, “We have continuously engaged with the government at various levels to find lasting solutions to the economic challenges facing our nation. It is crucial to remember that many businesses are still recovering from the substantial losses incurred during the hijacked #EndSARS protests a few years ago.

“We call upon security agencies to protect life and property during this period. The OPSN remains steadfast in its commitment to collaborate with all relevant stakeholders to promote a peaceful and prosperous Nigeria for all its citizens.”