The former Nigerian leader said many people now struggle to afford basic needs like food and transportation.
Former Nigerian Military Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, has joined other Nigerians to lament over hardship and suffering in the country.
He spoke when he received the leadership of the Campaign for Democracy and Human Rights, led by Abdullahi Mohammed Jabi, who visited his uphill residence in Minna, Niger State, on Tuesday.
The former Nigerian leader said many people now struggle to afford basic needs like food and transportation.
“Everybody is crying about this hardship and it seems to be getting out of control, people cannot afford three square meals.
“The issue of transportation, the hike in fuel, the hike in school fees for the children and the lack of funds in everybody’s pocket is making life difficult for everybody,” the elder statesman observed.
Gen. Abubakar disclosed that he belongs to a forum that had passed three recommendations to the federal government on the way out of the economic hardship, as giving out palliatives is not the solution to hikes in food and other commodities across the nation.
He suggested the government should provide affordable food options by buying and selling essential items at lower prices.
According to him: “There is a need for government to flood and saturate the communities with food, let them (government) buy food and sell it at lesser prices to the people so that people will try to buy some of these food items depending on their pockets and income.”
Abubakar also urged peaceful protests ahead of the planned #EndBadGovernance demonstration on October 1, recalling the violence and looting that marred previous protests.
He lamented: “During the last protest, we saw unnecessary, uncalled for carnage, theft and criminalities; instead of protesting, the people went about looting even private houses; private individuals suffered in the hands of the demonstrators.”