The Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) has described the incidents of mass looting being witnessed recently across the country as warning signals of the looming anarchy and turmoil that Nigeria faces in the foreseeable future if drastic measures are not taken to address the serious cost of living crisis facing the majority of Nigerian citizens.
While expressing deep concern over the escalating prices of essential commodities, which have made life unbearable for the masses and escalated poverty among Nigerians, the party, in a statement signed by its acting National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Muhammed Ishaq, and made available to the Tribune Online, called on state and federal governments to implement policies and interventions that will alleviate the suffering of the masses, especially those that will tackle the galloping food inflation, create job opportunities for the unemployed, and ensure equitable distribution of palliatives for citizens across the board.
“The recent reports of looting of trucks carrying food items on our highways and cities are warning signals of the looming anarchy and turmoil that Nigeria faces in the foreseeable future if drastic measures are not taken to address the serious cost of living crisis facing the majority of Nigerian citizens. The most recent of these reported incidents happened last Friday in Dogarawa, a suburb of Zaria in Kaduna State, where residents looted cartons of spaghetti from a parked truck of BUA Company. Such behaviour, looked at from any angle, is simply criminal and wrong and needs to be addressed squarely.
“Yes, there is hunger and hardship on the land. Yes, there is poverty in the land, and the ruling elite has weaponized poverty, which has made citizens trade their votes for a pack or two of spaghetti, as we saw in last year’s elections. Despite these, we in the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) cautioned ordinary Nigerians not to allow their weaponization of poverty to make us criminals to the extent that we loot what does not belong to us.
“The PRP expresses its deep concern over the escalating prices of essential commodities, which have made life unbearable for the masses if not most Nigerians. We therefore call upon our industrialists, such as BUA, whose truck was looted, to exercise empathy and reason by taking immediate steps to bring down the prices of these goods. It is crucial for businessmen to understand their role in society and prioritise the welfare of the people in their dealings. After all, the dollar price, which has been used as an excuse to hike prices, has come down, and yet the market has not seen an immediate downward review of prices, though we witness an immediate upward review of prices once the cost of a dollar goes up.
“The PRP urges all levels of government, particularly at the national and state levels, to promptly implement policies and interventions that will alleviate the suffering of the masses. This includes addressing food inflation, creating employment opportunities, and ensuring the equitable distribution of palliative resources, which we have seen a few states do, but most are simply pocketing the additional resources that have come their way from both petrol subsidy removal and the merger of exchange rates.
“The PRP believes that the looting incident in Zaria is a symptom of a larger problem that requires collective effort and commitment from all stakeholders, inclusive of our industrialists and the business community. We call for a concerted effort to tackle the root causes of such incidents and to work towards a more just and inclusive society.
“As a political party dedicated to the principles of fairness, justice, and progress, the PRP remains committed to advocating for the rights and well-being of all Nigerians. We reiterate our call for unity, understanding, and responsible action from every citizen and institution in addressing the challenges facing our nation,” the statement concludes.
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