The federal government has said that the situation in the country would be more terrible if petrol subsidy was not removed.

The minister of information and national orientation, Mohammed Malagi, stated this on Thursday during a programme on Channels Television.

He insisted that it would be difficult to carry out meaningful development without removing subsidy.

Defending President Bola Tinubu’s decision, the Minister argued that the economy would have been worse if petrol subsidy was not removed.

He insisted that Tinubu was aware that Nigerians would encounter some difficulties after the removal of the subsidy.

“You are premising your argument on the fact this problem just started yesterday. The foundation of our economy had taken a beating a long time ago. The substructure of our national economy has been one that cannot hold a meaningful substructure on it.

“So, it is important that Nigerians recognise that the President and his team would have to go back to reset that and that is why from day one, he said, ‘Look, subsidy issue has to go.

“He had to expect that there would be this pain, of course. He anticipated that Nigerians would encounter some difficulties. But it would be worse if that subsidy did not go. It would have been difficult to carry out any meaningful development. We needed to free up resources,” Magaji said

He further said the impact of the subsidy was not felt by the masses as some select persons were benefiting from it.

According to Malagi, security agencies are working to arrest the culprits.

“Of course, everybody is being investigated. Security agencies are doing their jobs in that direction,” he said.