Edo State Government Confirms Receiving Federal Rice Aid After Initial Denial

Edo State Commissioner for Information and Orientation Chris Nehikhare confirmed that the state had received trucks of rice from the federal government, despite denying it earlier.

Nehikhare had previously denied on national television that the Edo State Government had received the rice. "We only received grains and garri from the federal government, not rice," he had said on a live television program, Premium Times reported.

The PDP-led government's denial led to the state's opposition, APC, accusing the former of not being truthful. The APC claimed that the bags of rice looted in Benin during the nationwide protest were part of the federal government's aid that the Edo State Government had hoarded.

In the midst of the controversy, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs Abubakar Momoh said that each state, including Edo, received 20 trucks of rice.

This was confirmed by Nehikhare during a news conference on Wednesday in Benin.

"On the issue of the federal government giving us rice, I will tell you, a few months ago, maybe early this year or late last year or mid-this year, they brought some trucks of rice. They (the rice) were distributed according to the formula that they be sent to IDP camps, different people, and orphanages. You people should do the investigation," Nehikhare said.

"Edo State Government did not touch any of the trucks. They moved straight to the local governments and where they were designated to be given out. Edo State Government does not keep rice. We have spent N2.2 billion to feed our people."

Momoh questioned what 20 trucks of rice can do as there were about seven million people in the state.

Whereas, Nehikhare stated that the state government has been providing free bus services since September to help fight poverty.

He clarified that the Edo State Government does not buy rice. Instead, it allocated N2.2 billion to the Christian Association of Nigeria to buy food items like garri, yam, plantain and rice for vulnerable people. He emphasized that this was a deliberate government policy.

Last month, President Bola Tinubu introduced new steps to tackle high food prices in Nigeria, noting that these measures will roll out over 180 days.