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Farmers predict worsening food crisis, blame fuel subsidy removal, insecurity
Farmers have predicted tougher days ahead for Nigerians concerning the ongoing food inflation crisis in the country.
This is as the farmers blamed subsidy removal which increased the cost of transporting farm produce, and insecurity, which has continued to hinder farming as some of the reasons for the food crisis.
The farmers, while urging Nigerians to brace up for more price hikes of food produce, noted that the food crisis may continue till August.
In recent times, Nigerians have been voicing their concerns over the hike in the prices of food.
While the food crisis is not new to the country, the ongoing crisis has caused so much uproar with the Nigeria Labour Congress making it a major argument for its demand for increased minimum wage.
According to a report by The PUNCH in 2022, the National Human Rights Commission, raised concerns over the rising food crisis in Nigeria, saying that it had worsened access to healthy and nutritious food, especially among Internally Displaced Persons and vulnerable groups, leading to an increase in widespread hunger and low quality of life.
The commission also attributed the situation to several factors, including “insecurity chasing farmers from their farms, coupled with many farmlands submerged in water due to flooding in some parts of the county.”
In solidarity, the Federal Government expressed concern over the continuous rise in the prices of food and other commodities, which has resulted in protests in Niger and Kano states.
In 2024, Northern traditional rulers and the Nigerian Bar Association decried the hardship in the country, which was said to be precipitated by the fuel subsidy removal and had resulted in higher transport costs and food inflation.
Also, as Nigerian workers commemorated the 2024 May Day, Organised Labour expressed concern about the rising food prices and fuel scarcity in the country, saying that the current situation threatened the survival of workers.
They equally lamented the harsh economic situation which had been compounded by the twin burdens of the electricity tariff hike and high fuel prices.
Speaking with Saturday PUNCH, the National President, All Farmers Association of Nigeria, Kabir Ibrahim, said tougher days were ahead for Nigerians concerning the food crisis.
He, however, cautioned the Federal Government against the knee-jack reaction of opening the borders and flooding the market with imported foods, warning that such a decision could erode the little gains recorded in the agricultural sector.
Ibrahim also explained that the hikes in prices of farm produce such as tomato, pepper, and yam may not be unconnected with the seasonal variations, noting that the prices of some food items usually went up around this period.
He said, “Vegetables, characteristically, will be sold for higher prices at this time, because this is not the season. For those who do open production, the rains will not allow those to germinate very well. So, there is always a scarcity around this time and September. After that, the price will start coming down, because some people who do open production can also bring some.
“So November through January, February, and even March, you’ll find very good prices, but don’t forget the challenges of the exchange rate of the naira. That is also happening. Don’t also discount the cost of transporting the produce. All these farmers will have to factor in selling to the middlemen, and the middlemen also buy to make profits. Those are some of the reasons.”
He also noted that while insecurity remained a fundamental issue preventing farmers from ensuring food security, other issues including the high exchange rate must be addressed to curb the ongoing crisis.
He said, “Insecurity is a factor in food security in Nigeria. Nobody can discountenance it, but there was more insecurity in 2022, for instance. That was even before the floods challenge. These challenges were not as much in the early part of 2023 compared to the time this administration came on board. Some of these things are also dependent on the times. The exchange rate is of course important and remains a factor as well. The removal of subsidy on all petroleum products and the increased costs associated with that in transportation and distribution of farm produce is also a major issue.”
He stressed that a major factor in the ongoing crisis was the cost of food and not scarcity. “The question is affordability. It is available but not affordable. Therefore, with the high cost, there is no food security. Food security means you should be able to afford food within reasonable limits,” he said.
Ibrahim, however, reiterated the need for the government to avoid trying to solve the ongoing crisis by opening the border to mass food importation, noting that it could destroy the gains already recorded in the agricultural sector.
Also speaking with Saturday PUNCH, the National Secretary of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria, Dr Yunusa Halidu, stated that low productivity was the cause of the hike in prices of farm produce, noting that the Federal Government should do more to bring down the high cost of farming inputs.
“When we talk of inputs, we are talking about tractors and others. They are very expensive, and other inputs such as fertilisers. From last year to now, prices have hovered between N35,000, N45,000 and N50,000, and farmers cannot afford them. Three to four years ago, tractors cost about N10m to N15m, but today, they cost about N35m to N40m in the same country. Who can afford to buy it? Government can’t buy tractors for famers, and farmers can’t afford to buy tractors. They have to go back to the way of doing it which is our usual culture. That is affecting production.”
Also blaming insecurity for the crisis, he said, “Today, insecurity is wreaking havoc, with farmers being kidnapped. Now, the government can’t fight insecurity.”
He urged the government to work with farmers to end the food crisis.
“We need government to come in and discuss with us. The government should sit down with the farmer’s group. We are the umbrella body of all the commodity associations in Nigeria, and our structure is from national down to other levels. The government cannot regulate what it does not contribute to. The government cannot tell me to go and sell my yam or milk in the market at a certain price. What was their contribution to it? They did npt contribute a dime. Government should work hand in hand with farmers.”
‘Nigeria needs specialised agric institutions’
Meanwhile, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, said that the establishment of more specialised agricultural institutions in the country will accelerate the nation’s quest for food security.
Abbas stated this on Friday in Abuja while declaring open a public hearing of the House on nine agriculture-related bills.
Represented by the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, Abbas explained that three of the bills seek the amendment of the federal universities of agriculture Act 2010 to establish Federal University of Agriculture in Oyo, Delta and Enugu states, while the remaining six bills are seeking amendment of the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria Act, 2004, to pave way for the establishment of agricultural colleges and institutes in Ekiti, Bauchi, Enugu, Delta, Nasarawa and Ogun states.
A statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the Deputy Speaker, Levinus Nwabughiogu, quoted Kalu as saying that, “To fast-track the Federal Government’s drive for food security, modern and mechanised farming and diversification of the economy, the need for more specialised agricultural institutions that are innovative and research-based has become imperative.
“This understanding informed the listing of agricultural reforms in the 10th House legislative agenda to address the nation’s high cost of food items. We believe that if these bills are well processed with robust inputs from you, they would strengthen the nation’s quest for food sufficiency and socio-economic development of our country.”
Abbas also tasked agricultural stakeholders to make valid contributions that would enable the House to arrive at an informed conclusion on the bills.
“Let me state that public hearing is a key legislative programme designed by the parliament to ensure that the feelings, sentiments and aspirations of the critical stakeholders and other members of the public are reflected in the laws made by the legislature.
“It also helps the parliament to be better resourced for better-quality laws. Accordingly, I urge you to ensure that your contributions are profound, relevant and vital to help guide the House to administer the right legislative actions to improve on these nine agriculture-related bills.
“As it is evident, with nine agricultural-related bills waiting to be evaluated by the stakeholders for enhanced outputs, today’s public hearing is particularly extensive in scope and proportions. Your commitment is therefore sought towards making this event a huge success,” he said.
‘Ogun working to tackle food insecurity’
The Spokesman of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Mr Gbenga Morounfolu, said that the Ogun State government had been actively working to tackle food insecurity through various initiatives.
Moronfolu, on Friday said that the state government had continued to engage the farmers and had been supporting them from time to time all in a bid to boost food production in the state.
He said, “Less than two weeks ago, about 8,800 smallholder farmers across the 20 local government areas of the state received free agricultural inputs and assets, as well as infrastructural support via OGUN-CARES FADAMA to further boost the outputs of farming enterprises.”
Source: The Punch
Military investigators probing the alleged attempted coup are working with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit to unravel the financial flows linked to individuals accused of bankrolling the plot, according to The PUNCH.
This was as indications emerge that the bank accounts of some of the suspects might have been frozen by the authorities, as part of the probe procedures.
The PUNCH could not immediately confirm the development, as no one was willing to comment on it. But a security official described this as standard procedure in such cases.
However, multiple security sources familiar with the probe confirmed that the EFCC and NFIU are carrying out a forensic investigation on the bank accounts of the soldiers and the civilians involved in the plot to overthrow the Federal Government.
The forensic investigation will cover transaction analysis, including reviewing deposits, withdrawals, and transfers to identify suspicious patterns; tracking of account activity over time; identifying the origin of funds and determining the true owners of the accounts under probe.
The investigation is also said to have been widened to cover the associates and business partners of the key suspects.
The development is coming on the heels of the discovery of the alleged transfer of N45 billion from the Niger Delta Development Commission to those involved in the plot.
Sahara Reporters had reported that 16 Nigerian Army officers were arrested for allegedly planning a coup to overthrow President Bola Tinubu. The online platform linked the purported plot to the Federal Government’s cancellation of Nigeria’s 65th Independence Day celebration.
The Director of Defence Information, Brig. Gen. Tukur Gusau, denied that the detention of the officers was tied to a coup attempt.
Nevertheless, security operatives raided the Abuja home of former Bayelsa State governor Timipre Sylva, taking away his younger brother, Paga and driver, as the investigation gained momentum.
The former minister and All Progressives Congress chieftain was reportedly outside the country at the time.
On Wednesday, Sylva’s spokesman, Chief Julius Bokoru, confirmed that his principal’s residence was raided, adding that the ex-minister and his wife were out of the country at the time.
He denied the former governor’s involvement in the rumoured coup plot, accusing his political adversaries of trying to frame him.
Providing an update on Thursday, military insiders explained that the investigators are relying on the EFCC and NFIU to uncover the money trail and flow of funds deployed for the execution of the alleged coup.
Sources in the anti-graft agencies confirmed their involvement in the probe.
“This is discreet intelligence work. Until the entire exercise is concluded, we cannot provide a list of all those involved, how much was deployed for the plot or the amount recovered. The investigators are relying on the EFCC and NFIU for this,” a security source who is privy to the investigation disclosed.
The EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, could not be reached for comment on Thursday. His NFIU counterpart, Aishatu Bantam, did not respond to phone calls.
Meanwhile, the names of the 16 alleged coup plotters have surfaced.
The army officers include a brigadier general, a colonel, four lieutenant colonels, five majors, two captains, and a lieutenant.
The remaining two are a lieutenant commander from the Navy, the naval equivalent of a major, and a squadron leader from the Air Force, which holds the exact rank equivalence.
Premium Times reported that 12 of the 14 army officers belonged to the Infantry Corps, the army’s frontline combat unit whose troops primarily engage in ground battles.
One officer is reportedly from the Signals Corps, which manages military communications, while another serves in the Ordnance Corps, responsible for procuring, storing, and maintaining weapons, ammunition, vehicles, and other essential hardware.
They were reportedly led by Brig. Gen Musa Abubakar Sadiq. Others include Col M.A. Ma’aji, Lt. Colonel S. Bappah, Lt Col A.A. Hayatu, P. Dangnap, Lt. Col M. Almakura, Major A. J Ibrahim, Major M.M. Jiddah, Major M.A. Usman, Major D. Yusuf, Major I. Dauda, Capt Ibrahim Bello, Capt A.A Yusuf, Lt S.S Felix, Lt . Commander D. B. Abdullahi and Squandron Leader S. B Adamu.
Meanwhile, The Cable reported that an air force officer recently posted to the Office of the National Security Adviser was detailed to kill the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
Accoring to The Cable, Squadron Leader SB Adamu (Service No. NAF/3481) from Jigawa State was posted to the National Counter Terrorism Centre — an agency under ONSA — about four weeks before the coup attempt was uncovered.
Contrary to claims that several suspects worked directly with ONSA, investigators said Adamu was the only one connected to the office through the NCTC.
Military insiders said when the National Coordinator of NCTC, Maj-Gen. Adamu Laka,requested the posting of a specific officer to the centre in August 2025, the request was surprisingly turned down. Instead, Adamu was deployed — a move now fuelling suspicions that the alleged coup plotters may have penetrated the military hierarchy.
Adamu is a member of the Nigerian Defence Academy’s Regular Course 59.
Recent investigations have uncovered additional information regarding a coup plot, shedding light on various troubling details.
This alarming revelation raises serious concerns about the integrity of national security. It highlights the extent to which the plotters may have been willing to go in their efforts to destabilize the government.
According to sources knowledgeable about the ongoing inquiry into this alleged conspiracy, an air force officer who has recently been assigned to the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) was allegedly tasked with the assassination of Nuhu Ribadu, the current National Security Adviser, according to TheCable.
The implications of these findings could be profound, potentially affecting both national security operations and the very fabric of governance in the country.
SB Adamu, a squadron leader with service no NAF/3481 from Jigawa state, was posted to the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) — a programme coordinated by ONSA — four weeks before the alleged coup plot was botched.
Contrary to reports that many of the suspects were working with the ONSA, Adamu was the only one linked to the office through the NCTC.
The NCTC is one of the programmes coordinated by the ONSA.
Military sources told TheCable that when Adamu Garba Laka, a major general and national coordinator of NCTC, requested for a specific officer to be posted to the centre in August 2025, he was surprised that his request was not approved.
Instead, Adamu was posted to the office — and this is now fuelling speculation that the alleged coup plotters had infiltrated the military hierarchy.
Adamu was a member of regular course 59 of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA).
President Bola Tinubu recently did a clear-out, sacking two of his services chiefs, including Hasan Abubakar, an air marshal.
The detailed squadron leader was allegedly detailed to “take out” Ribadu just as some other officers were tasked with killing other senior government officials, TheCable was informed.
He is said to be cooperating with investigators.
Military authorities are yet to officially confirm the coup plot.
Defence Headquarters (DHQ) insisted, in a press statement after Sahara Reporters broke the story, that the ongoing investigation of 16 officers is a “routine internal process aimed at ensuring [that] discipline and professionalism is maintained within the ranks”.
Tukur Gusau, a brigadier and director of defence information, said the findings of the investigation will be made public.
Media reports have continued to reveal the identities of those in detention after the story of the alleged coup plot.
Source: TheCable
The Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication to President Bola Tinubu, Sunday Dare, says the Presidency will stand by the Nigerian Military’s position that there was never a coup attempt in Nigeria.
According to Naija News, on October 18, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) had released a statement describing as false and misleading the reports online that alleged that activities to mark the 65th independence anniversary of Nigeria were cancelled over an attempted coup plot.
The rumours of a coup intensified further after President Tinubu sacked the Service Chiefs.
In an interview with TVC on Tuesday, Dare said the Presidency will stick to the narrative of the Nigerian Military that there was no coup attempt in Nigeria.
According to him, the presidency will only change its position when the military says otherwise, because the military is constitutionally empowered to secure the country.
He said, “We are going to stick to the narrative of the military because they are the ones constitutionally empowered to secure this country. They are given the power, arms and ammunition as the intelligence power.
“So when the military says these are the reasons why we have this development, we are going to stay with that narrative because that is the brief that is out there. Until the military comes with a different narrative, we are going to stay with that narrative. On some military being retained, there is a need to have institutional memory and maintain a balance and this decision was not taken on a flip for the person that was retained.”
In a significant turn of events, the military has taken decisive action by arresting a managing director linked to a burgeoning coup plot.
This strategic move comes amid an extensive investigation into the financial resources allegedly earmarked to support the coup attempt against President Bola Tinubu.
As the situation unfolds, there are growing concerns regarding the potential involvement of various stakeholders in this conspiracy.
Military investigators probing an alleged plot to overthrow President Bola Tinubu are reportedly grilling a Managing Director of a Federal Government agency in the South South region, according to The PUNCH.
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Two intelligence officers confirmed that the MD was arrested for allegedly transferring a huge sum of money to a former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, who was fingered as one of the financiers of the alleged plot to forcefully change the government.
According to reports, investigators believe the funds were meant to finance the coup.
“The MD (name withheld) transferred a huge sum of money to Sylva. Investigators are working on the theory that the fund transfer was connected to the coup. He is presently answering questions about what the money was meant for.”
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Former Bayelsa governor Sylva’s Abuja house was reportedly raided by investigators on Saturday, with military operatives arresting his younger brother, Paga, who is his Special Assistant on Domestic Affairs and went away with his driver.
The former minister and All Progressives Congress chieftain was outside the country during the operation.
Sources with knowledge of the operation explained that he was planning to return to the country when he heard that the coup leaders had been arrested. He thus shelved his plan to return home.
“Sylva’s Abuja home was raided on Saturday, but he wasn’t around. His younger brother, Paga, who is the SA, Domestic, and the driver, were arrested. Investigators believe Sylva allegedly funded the coup plot. Sylva was abroad and was preparing to leave for Nigeria when he got wind of the arrest of the coup leaders. So, he stayed back.”
The Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj-Gen Markus Kangye, and the Director of Defence Information, Brig-Gen Tukur Gusau, could not be reached for comments on Tuesday as they didn’t pick up calls from our reporter.
Gusau had, in a statement on October 4, said that 16 officers were detained for breaches of military regulations and acts of indiscipline.
“The Armed Forces of Nigeria wishes to inform the public that a routine military exercise has resulted in the arrest of sixteen officers over issues of indiscipline and breach of service regulations.
“Investigations have revealed that their grievances stemmed largely from perceived career stagnation caused by repeated failure in promotion examinations,” the statement partly read.
However, online platform SaharaReporters claimed that the detained officers — ranging from the rank of Captain to Brigadier General —were being held by the Defence Intelligence Agency for allegedly plotting to overthrow the government.
It also alleged that the officers were arrested at their homes across the country.
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Source: The Punch
Tension is palpable across the communities of Abuja following a foiled coup attempt, prompting authorities to intensify their efforts against those suspected of involvement in the plot.
In a significant development, members of the Nigerian Army executed a search operation at the Abuja residence of Timipre Sylva, a former governor of Bayelsa State and ex-Minister of State for Petroleum Resources.
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This raid is part of a broader investigation spearheaded by the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) into the alleged conspiracy.
According to reports from SaharaReporters, this operation underscores the serious nature of the allegations flying around and the government’s commitment to unraveling the details behind this troubling incident. The atmosphere of uncertainty and concern in the capital seems to be growing as investigations unfold.
Multiple security sources confirmed to SaharaReporters on Tuesday that the army raid occurred at Sylva’s home in the Maitama area of Abuja.
According to insiders, a “special military team” carried out the operation after intelligence linked the “former South-South governor” to secret meetings allegedly held with some of the detained military officers.
“Nigerian Army special team ransacked the home of Timipre Sylva, who is believed to have fled Nigeria,” one top source familiar with the development told SaharaReporters.
“He is the South-South former governor frequently mentioned in the case. His brother, named Paga, was picked up during the raid. The operation also extended to his Bayelsa residence.”
Another security insider said that while no official statement had been issued regarding the raid, the action was “not random” but “a direct response to intelligence linking certain political figures to the alleged plotters.”
This development comes amid growing tension within the armed forces following SaharaReporters’ exclusive report that at least 16 senior military officers had been detained incommunicado by the DIA over an alleged coup plot.
The detained officers, drawn from the Army, Navy, and Air Force, have been held for over three weeks in an undisclosed Abuja facility under what sources described as “unusual and suspicious conditions.”
Family members told SaharaReporters they initially believed their relatives had been kidnapped, as there was no official communication from the military regarding their arrests.
“It’s been 18 days since those 16 officers were detained in an undisclosed location. At first, we thought our brother was kidnapped before finding out what transpired from his friend who works in the NSA office,” a family member had said.
Security analysts have questioned why the DIA, an intelligence agency under the Ministry of Defence, is spearheading the investigation instead of allowing each military service to handle its personnel internally, a move seen as “highly political.”
“If the military were truly conducting a disciplinary operation, over 10,000 cases could emerge. Why only 16 officers, and why hand them to the DIA?” one retired officer asked. “This smells of politics. There’s clearly more going on behind the scenes.”
Speculations are now rife that the alleged plot and subsequent arrests may have deeper political undertones, potentially involving some former office holders with ties to late ex-President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
Sylva, a former governor of Bayelsa State and a close ally of late Buhari, served as Minister of State for Petroleum Resources between 2019 and 2023.
He was also the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in the November 2023 Bayelsa election, which he lost to incumbent Governor Douye Diri of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
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The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service revealed that 15 people, comprising seven female adults, seven male adults, and four children, had been rescued with varying degrees of injury.
A two-storey building has collapsed in the Oyingbo area of Lagos, leaving an undisclosed number of people feared trapped.
The Director of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Margaret Adeseye, in a situation report, said that the agency received a distress call in the wee small hours of Monday.
Adeseye explained that the building located on 54, Cole Street, Cemetery Bus Stop, had been marked ‘Distressed’ before it collapsed on the occupants.
She revealed that 15 people, comprising seven female adults, seven male adults, and four children, had been rescued with varying degrees of injury.
They were taken to the Federal Medical Center, Ebute Meta, and General Hospital, Odan, Lagos Island.
She, however, said a rescue operation by the Sari Iganmu Fire Station of the LSFRS was ongoing.
“It is an ongoing rescue involving an existing two-storey building which has reportedly [been] marked distress before collapsing on the occupants.
“Fifteen adults (seven male adults, four female adults, and four children) have been rescued with varying degrees of injury and taken to Federal Medical Center, Ebute Meta, and General Hospital, Odan, Lagos Island,” the statement partly read.
Building collapses in Nigeria are a lingering concern, especially in the rainy season.
The incident happened weeks after six people were rescued in September after a two-storey building collapsed on Modupeola Street, Mangoro, Alimosho, Lagos.
Scene of the collapse of a three-storey building at Alagomeji, in the Yaba area of Lagos State.
On September 13, one person was confirmed dead when a three-storey building in Alagomeji area of the state collapse.
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