Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has urged President Bola Tinubu and the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) to employ transparent mechanisms in the distribution of emergency relief foods to poor Nigerians.
 
The rights group said only credible, tested and trusted Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) should be engaged in the process.  In a statement by its National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, HURIWA said millions of poorest-of-the-poor Nigerians, had so far only seen on television and newspaper pages that the Federal Government and NCS were sharing food to poor Nigerians.
 
It said: “Since over a week or so that the office of the President announced the release for immediate distribution of 42,000 metric tonnes of grains nationwide to poor households, it is not so clear whether the relief items are simply being distributed to ghost households because it is not very clear to the poor Nigerians how, where and who are the officials or persons making sure that the foodstuff reach the poorest of the poor.
  
“Inquiries we have made in the six geopolitical zones by our members have come out with no positive details on the transparency of the distribution process.”

Against the backdrops of the alleged shady distribution modalities, the rights group urged Tinubu and the Customs hierarchy to engage credible civil rights groups operating in the 36 states and Federal Capital Territory (FCT), to observe the processes and mechanisms of the distribution and publish their findings for the benefit of Nigerians and as a way of infusing transparency and accountability.”

 
HURIWA also advocated that respected traditional and religious leaders should be enlisted to partake in the distribution of the reliefs, since they know every household in their localities.
  
The Federal Government had, penultimate Wednesday, announced that it would distribute the 42,000mt of grains approved by Tinubu to poor Nigerians at no cost.
 
It also announced that the Department of State Services (DSS) and National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) had been engaged in the distribution process to ensure that the commodities get to the targeted citizens.
  
Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, disclosed this at a ministerial press briefing in Abuja. Onwubiko stated: “HURIWA has taken exception to these untoward developments whereby the government will sensationally announce to Nigerians that foodstuff are being shared, but, in actual fact, nothing trickles down to the poorest of the poor who need these immediate relief materials. 
  “NEMA is elitist and not known to be transparent and accountable.”