The Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, has said ‘unwarranted’ and ‘unguarded statements’ against Chief Bola Tinubu’s administration regarding insecurity and escalating food prices will carry repercussions.
In a statement relayed by the Ministry of Defence spokesperson, Henshaw Ogubike, Matawalle advised Nigerians to refrain from employing inflammatory remarks against the government.
He said, “Unguarded utterances coming from some sections of the populace are incisive and destructive and can exacerbate tensions and lead to violence in our beloved nation.”
Mr Matawalle said Mr Tinubu “is trying his best in tackling the economic challenges being experienced by Nigerians. The President and his team are tirelessly working to alleviate the burdens on the Nigerian populace, advising the agents of disunity to refrain from further unwarranted utterances, as such will have consequences.”
Mr. Matawalle’s caution coincided with mounting frustration over economic hardships and escalating food prices. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, the country’s inflation rate surged to 29.90 percent in January 2024, up from 28.92 percent in December 2023.
Last week, residents in Niger, Kano, and Osun states protested against the exorbitant cost of food, prompting the Nigerian Labour Congress to declare a two-day nationwide protest on the issue.
Against this backdrop, Fuji musician Wasiu Ayinde “KWAM1” and Nollywood actor Olaiya Igwe, both supporters of Mr. Tinubu, voiced concerns about the soaring prices of commodities in the country.
Additionally, the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar-led Northern Traditional Council, cautioned that mounting poverty, hunger, and insecurity could incite revolt against President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
In response, Mr. Tinubu instructed the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to distribute approximately 42,000 metric tonnes of grain, including maize, millet, and garri, nationwide.
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Furthermore, Mr. Tinubu directed the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, the State Security Service, and the Nigeria Police to apprehend food hoarders on Thursday.
The International Monetary Fund, in its assessment of the Nigerian economy, commended Mr. Tinubu’s initiatives such as releasing cereals from the grain reserve and providing subsidized fertilizer to farmers as measures to alleviate the adverse effects of rapidly rising inflation on living standards.