By Jimitota Onoyume

Nigerians have been enjoined to stop protesting over hunger and work with the federal government to redress challenges militating against food security in the country.

Arewa leader in the South, Alhaji Musa Saidu in a chat with the Vanguard over the hunger protest that started in some northern states said it was unfortunate that the north kept quiet when former president Muhammadu Buhari ran the economy aground, noting also that the former president accumulated so much debt with no commendable record of performance.

He recalled that at the time Buhari took over from Goodluck Jonathan the problem of insecurity was only in North East but before he ( Buhari ) left the insecurity had spread to all parts of the North.

“It is improper that people are protesting over hunger, blaming the Tinubu government. The northern political leaders are saying they can’t talk to them. Well! They can’t talk to them because as leaders they have enough.

“Buhari defeated Jonathan because they said Jonathan did not do well. Buhari came borrowed so much on behalf of Nigeria, that he didn’t build roads. His government was accused of massive corruption.

“Tinubu came at a time when the economy had collapsed. When Buhari came we had insecurity only in north East but he didn’t do anything. And it spread to all parts of the north.”

Saidu said northerners blaming President Tinubu for the problem of food shortage were unfair to him, adding that during the reign of former President Buhari, women could not go to their farms because bandits and terrorists took over the bushes.

“Buhari could not tackle insecurity, criminals invaded Abuja, freed bandits from prison we did not hear of any protest.”

He said if Buhari had even fixed federal roads with the humongous loans he took it would also have helped in the effort to tackle the economic problems in the country.

“There will be no progress without security. If they (northern protesters ) had protested that the bandits had taken their farms it’s a different thing. But you are protesting over hunger. You didn’t protest when Buhari was borrowing your future away.

“Instead of encouraging the government to fight insecurity, you are protesting over hunger.

“In Igbo land, there is sit-at-home Mondays, which is a protest on its own. The protest has several faces across the country”

” A nearby country has been in hunger for years and they are supporting their leaders. When they saw a leader that has dislodged the foreign oppressors. They even contributed money for the new government to buy Hilux vehicles to fight insecurity.”

Saidu said President Tinubu should tackle insecurity as a first step towards addressing food insecurity, stressing that it would resolve problems of cattle rustling and people would be safe in their farms.

“The president should combat insecurity so that cattle rustling could be addressed, people can go to their farms. This is a first step.”