The Federal Government has approved N5bn for each state to enable them to procure food items for distribution to the poor in their respective states to cushion harsh effect of fuel subsidy removal, making it a total of N180 billion.

Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State disclosed this at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, shortly after the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting.

In addition to the N5 billion, Zulum said the Federal Government also released five trucks of rice each to the 36 state governors.

Explaining further, Governor Zulum said the state governors are to procure 100,000 bags of rice, 40,000 bags of maize, and fertilizers.

He noted that 52 percent of the funds were given to the state governments as grants while 48% is as loans.

Asides from the economic difficulties facing Nigeria in the wake of the subsidy removal, NEC also discussed security issues especially recent attacks in the northern parts of the country.