President Bola Tinubu on Thursday ordered National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, the State Security Service (SSS) and the Nigeria Police to go after food hoarders. 

Mr Tinubu made this call in a meeting with 36 state governors at the State House over spiking food prices in the country.

“From Kano, we have read reports about large-scale hoarding of food in some warehouses,” Mr Tinubu said. “The National Security Adviser (NSA), the Inspector-General of Police, and the director-general of the Department of State Services should coordinate very closely and ensure that security agencies in the states inspect such warehouses with follow-up action.”

Mr Tinubu added that his government ”must ensure that speculators, hoarders, and rent seekers are not allowed to sabotage our efforts in ensuring the wide availability of food to all Nigerians.”

The president ruled out food importation, saying his government “would rather support farmers with the schemes that will make them go to the farm and grow more food for everyone in the country.”

Spiking food prices caused by economic inflation has forced Nigerians to hit the streets in protests in Niger, Kano, Osun and Lagos States last week.

Last Wednesday, Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar-led Northern Traditional Council, warned that rising poverty, hunger and insecurity in the country will soon force people to revolt against Mr Tinubu’s government.

A market survey by Peoples Gazette last Wednesday showed that inflation has shut prices of most food items up since Mr Tinubu assumed office in May 2023.