From: Femi Oyelola, Kaduna
The Council of the Ulama of Nigeria has expressed dismay that the galloping inflation, which is daily on the increase has affected the capacity of Nigerians to feed their families.
This was contained in a statement by Sheikh Abdulfatah Thani and Prof. M. S Abubakar
Acting National Chairman and Secretary General of the Council respectively, and made available to the media in Kaduna yesterday.
The statement stated that there are already reported cases of death as a result of hunger in some States.
The Council, therefore, called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to order the immediate release of food from the government strategic reserve for distribution to the general public to avoid imminent starvation which will engender an increase in criminality
The Ulama said leadership requires compassion and removal of hardship on the subject and success of any leader is not measured on the indices of economic attainment alone, but also on the liveliness and the prosperity of the entire nation.
“The antecedent of Mr. President is the attestation of that. The Council advises the Mr. President to consider the common man’s plight before marshaling any policy because of accountability before the Almighty.
“The Council of Ulama admonishes the National Assembly members to be conscious of Allah and to place the interest of their constituency above their interest.
“In their capacity as superintendents and watchdogs over the activities of the government, they should checkmate, what is happening within the Executive, it has been reported that five hundred billion Naira was released as palliative out which a large chunk is going to National Assembly members in addition to the fat salaries and jumbo allowances they enjoy.
“The belief within the general public is that they have been compromised, that is the reason they pay no attention to the tragedy that has been falling on the people whose leave and mandate they found,” the statement reads.