The Federal Government has ordered the release of 102,000 metric tonnes of rice and maize to Nigerians amid the food crisis in the country, coupled with the inflationary trend.

Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, stated this while fielding questions from State House reporters shortly after the meeting of the Presidential Committee on Food Emergency, which was held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He said the President has directed that “food will be made available, whatever it takes.”

The decision came after a series of deliberations by the Committee, in reaction to the protests by Nigerians over the high cost of food and other economic challenges.