The Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) has called on President Bola Tinubu to immediately declare a state of emergency on food nationwide, following the reported deaths of 65 people in various states while rushing for donated free foodstuffs.
Comrade Bunmi Fasehun, OPC General Secretary, lamented the tragic incident, stating, “As a matter of national emergency, Tinubu must intervene to bring down food prices to reduce hunger in Nigeria and ameliorate the sufferings of the citizens.”
Fasehun also urged the government to open borders and ports for food to enter Nigeria quickly and allow free movement of local and imported rice and other food items through Nigerian highways.
Expressing sympathy for the victims, Fasehun noted, “These avoidable deaths sound a loud and tragic message about the millions of Nigerians who are constantly confronted by crippling starvation and deep poverty. Yet governments at all levels show no concern.”
He criticized the government’s palliatives, saying they are “grossly inadequate” and do not reach the intended targets.
Fasehun highlighted the rising costs of food and transportation, citing the example of a bag of rice increasing to over N100,000, three times its price under Muhammadu Buhari, and 15 times its value under Goodluck Jonathan.
He also mentioned the scarcity of Naira notes, with banks rationing notes and customers unable to collect more than N5,000 to N20,000 cash per day.
The OPC General Secretary emphasized the need for policies with a human face, stating, “Every policy must have a human face. What is the use of government recording increases in revenue allocation when inflation eats up all the gains and Nigerians are being killed by hunger, frustration, and desperation?”
He urged President Tinubu’s government to dedicate itself to guaranteeing food security and restoring a conducive atmosphere for farmers to return to their farms.
Additionally, Fasehun advised the President to address the issues of insecurity, youth unemployment, and freedom of expression, recalling that Tinubu was a pro-democracy activist who fought against military rule.
He questioned, “Now that Tinubu is in power, why are Nigerians being denied their right to free expression and freedom to protest peacefully?”