President Bola Tinubu has directed the immediate release of 42,000 metric tons of assorted food items from both the strategic reserve and the Rice Millers Association of Nigeria as a short-term response to the rising food shortage in the country.
Mohammed Idris, minister of information and national orientation, announced the directive after a meeting of the special presidential committee on emergency food intervention on Thursday.
The minister said the government has proposed to embark on importation of whatever shortfalls that may be experienced after the release of the food commodities.
He added that the government will sanction food hoarders noting that emergency situations require emergency measures to ensure food is available to Nigerians.
