Tinubu orders immediate release of grains to FCT residents

President Bola Tinubu has directed the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr. Nyesom Wike, to expedite action on the distribution of grains and palliatives to residents to cushion the effects of the economic hardship.

Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, the Minister of State for the FCT, made this known on Wednesday in an emergency meeting with stakeholders and chairmen of the six area councils of the FCT.

She said the presidential directive was contained in an executive communique through the National Emergency Management Authority (NEMA) to the FCT minister, while also announcing the setting up of a committee to carry out the directive within the next two weeks.

Mahmoud noted that the letter was issued on February 29, 2024, and that they had only a week left to carry out the directive and ensure the proper distribution of the palliatives.

The letter reads: “Everybody knows how His Excellency, Mr. President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has been going up and down to see how he will cushion the effect of the hardship in the country, especially, particularly the issue of food security.

“They have been having meetings through the Ministry of Agriculture, and finally, we were able to get a lot that we have to distribute for our people, to tell us how Mr. President has his people in his heart.

“So it was along this way that the Minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike, was addressed through this letter to call an important meeting with important stakeholders that were highlighted, which most of them are here, to see how we arrange some committees for transparency of the distribution of these palliatives that we are about to get and then the preparation that we need to have before these items are given to FCT for distribution.”

The presidential initiative is coming barely a week after Persecondnews reported that a truck carrying food and other items was looted on Monday in Abuja, which is a repeat of looting from a warehouse on Tuesday in the same Dei-Dei in the Bwari Local Area of the FCT.

According to sources, the truck, which was en route from Zuba via Madalla Road, fell victim to the rampage at the Dei-Dei junction.

The incident occurred between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. in front of the NNPC filling station.

Eyewitnesses revealed that the attackers, primarily artisans accustomed to unloading goods from such trucks, targeted the vehicle, believed to be transporting goods from the northern part of the country.

The goods were destined for a warehouse that had been previously attacked on Sunday.

She listed members of the committee to include: Chairmen of Area Councils, FCT Emergency Management Agency, Traditional Rulers, Department of State Service, Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, faith-based organizations, the National Union of Local Government Employees, Nigeria Red Cross Society, Women Associations, Persons with Disability groups, youth associations, principals of boarding schools, civil society organizations and the media.