President Bola Tinubu, on Tuesday night, returned to Nigeria after a two- week private visit to Paris, France. The presidential jet touched down at the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja at about 9 pm. The President was received by his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume; National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike. Also on the receiving line were the Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani; Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Heineken Lokpobiri; and the Director-General of the Department of State Service, Yusuf Bichi. The trip was Tinubu’s third to France and his 14th foreign visit since he assumed office eight months ago. He returns amid protests in some states over the rising food and living costs.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Muhammed Idris, said President Bola Tinubu had directed immediate interventions to alleviate the suffering and forestall a further breakdown in security. The minister spoke on Tuesday after a meeting of the Special Presidential Committee on Emergency Food Intervention, chaired by the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja. After the meeting, which is the first of a series of three, Idris told journalists, it is a special presidential committee to address the issue of food shortage or lack of enough food on the table of most Nigerians. The Minister, who argued that Nigeria was in no shortage of food, said the Federal Government was in talks with millers and major commodity traders to avail more supply, thereby reducing the price of some commodities. He also alleged that some elements were taking advantage of the high food prices and the depreciation of the naira to wreak havoc.
Chidozie Chima | September 20, 2024
