Chief Whip of the Senate, Ali Ndume, has expressed concern that President Bola Tinubu is unaware of the widespread hunger affecting many Nigerians. Ndume, representing Borno South Senatorial District, claims that Tinubu has been "caged" within the Presidential Villa, with forces preventing meaningful discussions from reaching him.

Speaking at a briefing with journalists at the National Assembly complex on Wednesday, Ndume stated, "Mr. President is not aware of what is happening outside the Villa. He has been fenced off and caged. Many of us will not go through the backdoor to engage him."

Ndume criticized Tinubu's administration for its lack of action on food security, highlighting that the president has not been addressing the issue. "Nigerians are getting very, very angry. The government is not doing anything about food scarcity, and it needs to act urgently. We don’t have a food reserve. The food crisis is the worst crisis any nation can encounter. If we add that to the security crisis, it will be severe," he warned.

As a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the same party as Tinubu, Ndume urged the president to take proper measures to combat food insecurity. "The president should wake up. It seems he isn’t aware of what is happening because he has been caged off by plutocrats. He should open his doors and meet those who will tell him the truth. Unfortunately, the people who will tell him the truth won’t struggle to meet him. I am very worried, not only for the president but also for myself."

During Tuesday’s plenary, Ndume co-sponsored a motion to draw the federal government's attention to the impending food insecurity in the country. Following discussions on the motion, the Senate urged the federal government to address the issue immediately.