Local rice farmers under the membership of All Farmers Association of Nigeria ( AFAN) have blamed the continuous hike in the price of the commodity on the activities of unscrupulous farmers and middlemen in the sector.

The vice-chairman of the association, Mr Sakin Agbayewa, said that the consistent fluctuations in the price of rice could be linked to human manipulations, in spite of the government’s efforts.

“As regards the high price of rice, I think we are taking one step forward and five steps backwards.

“A few months ago, the federal government came out with a waiver, giving some companies a small waiver to import rice into the country to crush the price. And while that was on, did they mobilise the local farmers? That is where the issue lies.

“Although the federal government empowered a few farmers with a 75 per cent reduction on the cost of production, others were given fertilisers for free.

“Now, the question is this. Those local farmers who were empowered, did they really cultivate anything?

“The main issue is that the rice price hike can be linked to a cartel that wants to frustrate the government’s effort.

“While the waiver was in effect, they imported rice into the country, and the price decreased. However, during this period, they were also warehousing the rice.

“Now that the importation waiver is over, the cartel is creating artificial scarcity,” Agbayewa said.

“Bring Back Our Goodluck” North-East group planned to stage a one-million-man march to the former president Goodluck Jonathan’s country home in Bayelsa to prevail on him to contest the 2027 presidential election after their tour of the whole regions in Nigeria.

The National Chairman of the group, Grema Kyari stated this in Maiduguri when hundreds of youths gathered to strategise on the return of Goodluck Jonathan to presidential villa in 2027.

The group tendered an unreserved apology to former President Goodluck Jonathan over what they described as a damaging narrative of sponsoring Boko Haram terrorists used in removing him from office in 2015.

They said that they now believed that the former President was removed from office in 2015 as a result of “regime change” orchestrated by foreign powers, especially the Democrats-Obama/Biden US administration of 2014 in connivance with some desperate politicians in Nigeria.

“We are gathered here today at a time when our beloved country stands at a decisive crossroads.

The Nigeria of today is struggling under the weight of economic hardship, rising insecurity, and deepening divisions.

Citizens are losing trust in the very institutions meant to protect and serve them.

“I come before you not only as the National Chairman of ‘Bring Back Our Goodluck’ but as a witness to history and as a Nigerian who, like millions of others, was once misled. I am from Borno State, one of the epicenters of the Boko Haram insurgency.

“During the presidency of Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, a damaging narrative was widely spread in our communities that he sponsored Boko Haram and used the military to suppress us.

These lies thrived in an environment of limited restricted access to truth. But today, with broader exposure and clear understanding, I know those accusations were false.”

• by Ohibaba.com

The funeral procession

Governor Peter Mbah made a speech

Peter Obi , other dignitaries with Chukwu’s family