The decision was taken after an emergency meeting between the Nigerian President Umaru Yar'Adua and the governors of Nigeria's 36 states.

“The whole essence of this importation in the short term is to create availability and reduce the skyrocketing prices,” the governor of south-western Ondo State, Olusegun Agagu said.

"We cannot say there is famine in Nigeria yet, but the prices of foodstuffs are going up and availability in a number of places is diminishing," the governor added.

Over recent weeks, the price of a bag of rice on markets in Nigeria has doubled and tripled to between US$85 and US$102. In the administrative capital Abuja, the price of butter, beans and bread have doubled just in the last two weeks.

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[5 May 2008 10:18]

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