Former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, has urged the federal government to take drastic measures to alleviate the present hardship of its citizens.
Speaking in Minna, Niger State, he emphasized that the current hardship is “getting out of control” and that palliatives are not the solution.
Abdulsalami painted a dire picture of the situation, highlighting that people can’t afford basic necessities like three square meals, transportation, or school fees for their children.
He stressed that the government needs to introduce measures to soften the hardship, not just provide temporary fixes.
He said as far as he was concerned, giving palliatives to the people was not the answer to the high prices of food and other items across the country.
“The answer is the need for the government to flood and saturate the communities with food. Let the government buy food and sell it at lesser prices, so people can buy the food items of their choice, depending on their income,” the former head of state said.
The former military ruler also addressed the planned protests against the economic crisis on October 1, cautioning demonstrators to exercise peace and restraint.
His message was clear: “For God’s sake, when you demonstrate, do it peacefully,” he said.
