Nigerians have taken to social media to react to a comment by Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, that the Federal Government spends N3.5million monthly to feed incarcerated leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky.
Mohammed made the disclosure on Wednesday while addressing State House correspondents after the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He said, “Please the issue of where El-Zakzaky is should be kept off the record. It cost the Federal Government about N3.5 million every month to feed him, this is a fact.
“We don’t want to inflame passion because it’s a very sensitive matter but that is the situation. The Islamic Movement of Nigeria are a different kind of group.”
But many Nigerians queried why the Federal Government would spend such humongous amount on a single individual’s feeding when a new N30,000 minimum wage for workers was still enmeshed in controversy.
Read reactions monitored on Twitter:
"It costs the Nigerian government N3.5m per month to feed ElZakzaky." – Lai Mohammed.
1. This is sounds like a lie.
2. It makes no sense to continue incurring that cost instead of respecting the order given by Justice Gabriel Kolawole & releasing the man pic.twitter.com/tewlHnHDaE
— Igala Alan Shore (@I_Am_Ilemona) November 8, 2018
So I saw Lai Mohammed during an interview saying @MBuhari spends 3.5 million in feeding El-zakzaky monthly.
Please are they feeding the Man with gold rice and diamond beef?
they re keeping him in custody as their leakage for siphoning funds.
Buhari's govt & daylight robbery pic.twitter.com/hya6VoH3lu
— Zain Ameen (@zinadabo1) November 7, 2018
“It costs the Nigerian government N3.5m per month to feed ElZakzaky" ~ Lai Mohammed pic.twitter.com/7sS9l4ZV5O
— Vicmoss Ibukun #BringBackOurGirls (@TheVicmoss) November 8, 2018
Excuse me, the Ibrahim El-Zakzaky Lai Mohammed said the Federal Government feed with N3.5m monthly, is it a name of a country under Nigeria that Nigeria is supervising/taking care of or a group of over 3000 people adopted that name?
— Retired Sinner Boyfriend Dorathy #BBNaija (@R_Thobykov) November 8, 2018
What manner of food is the FG feeding El-Zakzaky with that is costing the govt N3.5m monthly?#LaiN3.5mLie
— Lere Olayinka – Aresa 1 (@OlayinkaLere) November 8, 2018
Buhari: Osinbade any update?
PYO: Lai Mohammed has distracted them. They've stopped talking about your WAEC forgery pic.twitter.com/rsJvLGVufO
— Lérd Chigbo ā (@itschigbo) November 8, 2018
https://twitter.com/ebuka_akara/status/1060446111171862529
https://twitter.com/UmehOMA/status/1060445539756584960
"N30K is enough to feed a family of 4 for a month." – Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour & Productivity
"It costs FG N3.5m to feed ElZakzaky for a month." – Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information & Culture.
These people don't value us.😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡 pic.twitter.com/4wJKUUr0ab
— JagunJagun🌑 (@abjghost) November 8, 2018
https://twitter.com/Bhadoosky/status/1060474650843627520
Lai Mohammed really knows how to take the piss! How would he say El-zakzaky meals cost N3.5million a month? Is he the prime minister of prisoners? Does his daily diet include exotic imported Ostriches, Gorrillas, Zebras & Giraffes? Lying to Lai Mohammed is now an extreme sport pic.twitter.com/YbmC3yvf7Z
— Matto | The Omonile Lawyer™ |⚖ (@MatthewOttah) November 8, 2018
N3.5m to feed El-Zakzaky in a month? Dear @MBuhari, Una no go come carry me? https://t.co/0NjqSQEDRA
— Prof Stanley Nwabia (@MrStanleyNwabia) November 8, 2018
Why are you people doubting Lai Mohammed's claim that the monthly cost of feeding El-Zakzaky is 3.5 million naira?
I just would like to see the 'before and after' pictures of El-Zakzaky..datsall!
— debbie.com.ng (@DebsExtra) November 8, 2018
"It costs the Government N3.5M (There Million, Five Hundred Thousand Naira) to feed Sheikh El-Zak Zaky in detention every month" – Lia Mohammed
3.5M? Does El-Zakzaky swallow a cow 🐮 per day or what? Clueless evil government. #FreeElZakzaky
— Maybeks (@MayUbeku) November 8, 2018
https://twitter.com/Tunnyking/status/1060472501652865025
https://twitter.com/SOJ_TY/status/1060457187783401472
A possible breakdown of Zazzaky's DAILY consumption going by Lai Mohammed's claim that it cost the govt 120K daily to feed him.
One Big Ram
One Bag of Rice
5 crates of eggs
5 Loaves of Bread
10 Bottle water
3 Mudu of Garri
1 Mudu of Sugar
4 Tins of Milk & Milo
— Dadiyata🔴 (@dadiyata) November 8, 2018
https://twitter.com/ani_nomso/status/1060458993095716864
https://twitter.com/UmehOMA/status/1060451639683923968