The Kano State Public Complaint and Anti-Corruption Commission announced on Tuesday that it had lifted the seals on the 10 warehouses that were previously closed last week due to suspected hoarding of foodstuffs.
In a telephone interview with The PUNCH, Muhyi Magaji, the chairman of the commission, stated that the warehouse owners had appeared, and they were instructed to open and make their goods available for sale to the public.
Consequently, Kano has started to observe a decrease in the prices of food items.
He said, “The action taken by the commission has forced the dealers to bring the commodities to markets as well as 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.
“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 had a notable impact on curbing the rise in prices of grains and other essential goods in the state.
He refuted the assertion by the Management of Dawanau International Grains Market that they were not stockpiling foodstuffs to create artificial scarcity.
Reports state that grain traders at the Dawanau International Grains Market recently announced a reduction in grain prices following a warning by the state anti-corruption agency to prosecute profiteering traders who defied the agency’s directive or engaged in hoarding to maximize profits.
Consequently, a bag of maize now retails for approximately N53,000, down from the previous price of N60,000, while guinea corn sells for N49,000 compared to the former price of N55,000, depending on quality. Similarly, the price of millet has decreased from N60,000 to N53,000 per bag, and beans now range between N85,000 and N90,000, down from the previous range of N95,000 to N100,000, depending on quality.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Customs Service, Kano Area Command, announced on Tuesday that it intercepted four trucks loaded with food items as part of renewed efforts to combat smuggling.
The service’s spokesperson, Saidu Nuradeen, disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday in Kano.
Nuradeen stated that Customs personnel apprehended the vehicles transporting a significant quantity of food items earmarked for illegal export along the Hadejia-Taura-Ringim axis in Jigawa State.
The seized items include 1,505 cartons of large and small-sized dried fish, 17 bags of local variety rice, and two bags of beans.
Nuradeen elaborated that the seizure underscored 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.