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This is Not Our Agreement With FG, Zamfara Residents Lament
Zamfara State residents have lamented the increase in foodstuff prices, saying; “this is not our agreement with Buhari before we voted him into power in 2015”.
The rate at which prices of foodstuffs continue to escalate in the country is now attracting serious attention, while also noting that the federal government has failed to establish a well-coordinated price control agency to regulate prices of foodstuffs in the country.
An intensive investigation by Vanguard correspondent revealed that a bag of foreign rice in Zamfara state is now being sold at the price of N29,000 while the same bag is being sold at the price of N30,000 in Sokoto state.
According to a trader operating at Tudu Wada market, the market behaviour has totally changed considering the increase of foodstuffs in Zamfara state.
“It is very obvious that Zamfara state is a rural state where almost everybody in the state depends entirely on the state government for survival,” she said.
This is not our agreement with Buhari ¯ Zamfara residents lament escalation of foodstuff prices Tudun Wada market, Zamfara State Many people interviewed by this reporter explained that the federal government should be blamed for what they described as lack of care for the people that voted President Muhammadu Buhari to power.
“It is clear that we are living in a decaying system where the poor get poorer and the rich get richer even when the federal government continue to make noise about the war against corruption in the country”
According to one trader, Alhaji Ibrahim Dangata, who operates a big shop in Gusau, the situation has become so unbearable for the common man to live in his or her own country.
“We are therefore calling on the federal government to as a matter of necessity address the ugly development before all the citizens of this country would all die of hunger and starvation”
“This is not our agreement with President Buhari before we voted him into power in 2015” According to him, no responsible government can stay and watch its citizens perish due to hunger and starvation, saying that Buhari’s administration has failed Nigerians woefully.
Soyinka stressed that accountability and civic courage remain essential to rebuilding public confidence in the nation’s institutions.
He made the call during the 28th Wole Soyinka Lecture held in Port Harcourt, last Friday as part of activities marking his 92nd birthday.
The lecture, themed “Reclaiming the Nigerian State through Accountability, Justice and Civic Courage,” drew participants from different sectors of society.
The renowned playwright and human rights advocate said the country’s greatest tragedy was not only the unlawful killings carried out by state and non-state actors, but also the silence that often follows such incidents, allowing perpetrators to evade justice.
According to him, indifference by citizens to abuses of power and violations of fundamental human rights has contributed to the persistence of extrajudicial killings and other forms of injustice across the country.
Soyinka said he dedicated this year’s lecture to victims of unlawful killings, noting that the event was intended to honour individuals who had lost their lives as a result of failures within the justice system and society’s inability to protect the sanctity of human life.
He stressed that the lecture was dedicated to what he described as the basic unit of every society – the human being, and urged Nigerians to place greater value on human dignity irrespective of ethnicity, religion or social status.
The Nobel Laureate recalled several incidents of violence, including the fatal shooting and killing of a young man in Ugheli in Delta State by a police officer, and the mob killing of Deborah Yakubu in Sokoto State sometime ago, lamenting that many of those responsible are yet to face justice.
He expressed concern that some perpetrators of violent crimes had openly admitted their actions without fear of prosecution, describing such situations as evidence of serious failures within the nation’s justice system.
Soyinka maintained that when justice is delayed or denied, public confidence in state institutions continues to erode, thereby encouraging further violations of human rights.
Responding to critics who accuse him of promoting religious or ethnic divisions whenever he spoke on such issues, Soyinka dismissed the allegations and pointed out that his advocacy has always centred on the protection of human life and the rule of law.
He urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and continue demanding justice in cases of alleged extrajudicial killings, including the recent shooting of a young man by a police officer, stressing that every life deserves equal protection under the law.
The literary icon also recalled an earlier pledge by a past incoming president to make public the files relating to unresolved assassinations and extrajudicial killings, questioning the status of the promised investigations.
He challenged citizens to continue asking questions about unresolved cases, insisting that justice, accountability and respect for human dignity are indispensable to building a peaceful, democratic and inclusive Nigerian society.
Earlier yesterday, FAAN had announced that a fire incident had occurred at Terminal 2 of the nation’s busiest airport, and assured that its Aerodrome Rescue and Firefighting Service had been deployed to contain the situation.
There were also reports that activities were briefly disrupted at the airport yesterday after smoke was seen inside parts of the terminal.
Videos circulating online showed passengers kept standing outside the terminal while firefighters responded to the incident.
However, in an update issued less than two hours later by the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, and posted on FAAN’s official X handle, the authority said preliminary findings showed that the smoke seen at the terminal was caused by the discharge of the facility’s FM-200 fire suppression system.
“Further to our earlier advisory regarding the incident at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) wishes to provide the following update,” the statement read.
“Preliminary findings indicate that there was no fire at the terminal. The smoke observed within the affected area resulted from the discharge of the terminal’s FM-200 fire suppression system. The reason for the activation of the fire suppression system is currently being investigated,” FAAN stated.
The authority said normal operations had resumed at the terminal while investigations were ongoing to determine the cause of the incident.
“Normal operations have since resumed at the terminal, while detailed investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the incident,” the statement added.
The authority thanked passengers, airlines, airport users and other stakeholders for their understanding and cooperation.
FAAN appreciated the understanding and cooperation of passengers, airlines, airport users and all stakeholders, and reiterated its commitment to the safety and security of all airport operations.