The Kano State Public Complaint and Anti-Corruption Commission announced on Tuesday that it had lifted the seals on 10 warehouses, previously closed last week for alleged hoarding of foodstuffs.
Muhyi Magaji, the commission’s chairman, revealed in a telephone interview with The PUNCH that the warehouse owners had appeared, and they were instructed to open and make the goods available for public sale.
Consequently, Kano has observed a decline in the prices of foodstuffs, attributed to the commission’s intervention, prompting dealers to bring the commodities to markets and reduce their prices.
“We visited a number of markets, including Dawanau International Grains Market, Singer Market and Kwari Market, among others.”
“If you go to Shuwari market in Jigawa and Faskari and other markets in the neighboring states, you will see that the prices of grains have reduced compared to before.”
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“If you recall, during the operation, the owners of such warehouses were nowhere to be found but those opened were stacked full of commodities, including spaghetti, rice, sugar and other food items.”
“The owners were issued a notice to report to the commission preparatory to facing charges before the court of law for their illegal activities.”
According to Muhuyi, the operation made a significant impact towards checking the increase in the prices of grains and other essential commodities in the state.
He dismissed the claim by the Management of Dawanau International Grains Market that they were not hoarding foodstuff in order to create artificial scarcity.
Recent reports indicate that grain dealers at the Dawanau International Grains Market have lowered grain prices in response to the state anti-graft agency’s warning to prosecute dealers violating orders or hoarding grains for excessive profits.
Consequently, maize now sells for approximately N53,000, down from the previous N60,000, while guinea corn is priced at N49,000, reduced from N55,000, varying with quality.
Millet, once priced at N60,000, now costs N53,000, and beans range from N85,000 to N90,000, down from the former N95,000 to N100,000, depending on quality.
In related efforts, the Nigeria Customs Service, Kano Area Command, reported on Tuesday that it intercepted four trucks loaded with food items as part of renewed initiatives to combat smuggling.
The spokesperson for the Nigeria Customs Service, Saidu Nuradeen, disclosed this information in a statement on Tuesday in Kano.
Nuradeen reported that NCS personnel apprehended vehicles transporting a substantial quantity of food items for illegal export along the Hadejia-Taura-Ringim axis in Jigawa State.
The seized items included 1,505 cartons of big and small-sized dried fish, 17 bags of local variety rice, and two bags of beans.
Nuradeen emphasized that this seizure highlights the Customs’ unwavering commitment to enforcing the border closure policy, aimed at safeguarding the nation’s economy and ensuring food security.
“Smuggling undermines legitimate trade channels, poses risks to public health and deprives the government of much-needed revenue.”
“The NCS reiterates its unwavering commitment to combatting smuggling activities across all entry points into the country,” he said.
