Buhari: 'The hunger in the land worries me'

President Muhammadu Buhari expressed concern about the hunger and endemic poverty in the land during a closed-door meeting with security chiefs on Thursday, August 19, 2021, according to National Security Adviser (NSA) Babagana Monguno.

Buhari described the prevailing hunger in the country as an “emergency situation," Monguno told State House correspondents after the meeting.

According to Monguno: “The president is not oblivious to the pains of the people and is working with the vice-president and other members of council, the relevant ministries, departments and agencies of government to address this issue.

“As far as he's concerned, it’s also an emergency situation that people should not be left to wallow in hunger, and in despair.

"This is something that he’s also going to look into. And he’s going to use all the necessary, all the relevant tools at his disposal to address the issue of widespread hunger.”

More than half of Nigeria's estimated 200 million population survive on less than a dollar a day and wallow in abject poverty.

Food inflation and a depreciation in the value of the Naira has also made it a herculean task for millions of Nigerians to feed.

The Buhari administration has repeatedly promised to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in 10 years.