In a significant move to address the issue of hoarding essential commodities, the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission has taken decisive action by confiscating 10 warehouses in the Dawanau area of Dawakin Tofa Local Government Area.
Chairman of the commission, Mr. Muhyi Magaji, announced the seizure to reporters after conducting raids on warehouses in Dawanau International Grains Market, Singer Market, and Kwari Textiles Market. The warehouses were found to be stocked with assorted foodstuffs, including spaghetti, rice, pasta, sugar, and other essential items.
Owners of the warehouses were conspicuously absent during the operation, prompting the commission to issue notices for them to appear before facing legal charges for their unlawful activities.
Magaji emphasized the commission’s commitment to combating the hoarding of essential commodities, citing the adverse effects of such practices on the prices of goods. He highlighted a significant increase in the price of rice within a week, from N52,000 to N61,000, underscoring the urgency of the situation.
The chairman expressed concern over claims that some warehouses were purportedly storing goods on behalf of the World Food Programme, questioning the integrity of such assertions.
Furthermore, Magaji revealed that maize prices had doubled from N30,000 to N60,000, emphasizing the unacceptable nature of such exorbitant increases. He noted the substantial value of hoarded commodities discovered in the warehouses and vowed to make arrests in line with the commission’s zero-tolerance policy towards hoarding practices.
Magaji concluded by affirming the commission’s utilization of intelligence mechanisms to uncover instances of hoarding and reiterated its determination to address the issue effectively.
