President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the immediate release of 40,000 metric tons of various grains from the Strategic Grains Reserve to assist Nigerians who are less fortunate in celebrating Easter and Sallah.

After a closed-door meeting with Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Tuesday, Alhaji Muhammed Mahmood, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, made the announcement to State House Correspondents.

Mahmood, who said he was summoned by the president and directed to deliver supplies to the afflicted people, expressed hope that the effort would also assist to offset the market’s high grain prices.

According to him, the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development would receive 12,000 tons of the 40,000 tons earmarked for distribution to internally displaced persons throughout the country.

According to Mahmood, the release of grains from the Strategic Grains Reserve was authorized and approved by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

This was done to help Nigerians cope with some of the country’s problems, such as rising commodity prices, by making grains more affordable for people to celebrate Ramadan, Easter, and Sallah.

Buhari also directed that a portion of the foodstuffs be delivered to the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, which will distribute them as well.

According to the ministry, the grains would be distributed using the same process that was used to distribute 70,000 metric tons of various food supplies across the states and the Federal Capital Territory during the COVID-19 shutdown in 2020.