WAREHOUSES containing hundreds of millions of naira worth of hoarded commodities have been confiscated in Kano State.
The Kano Public Complaint and Anti-Corruption Commission – PCACC, sealed several warehouses in and around Dawanau International Grains Market, Singer Market, and Kwari Textiles Market on Sunday.
“We started last Thursday, and we have made a significant impact on stopping the instant rise in the price of essential commodities. It was such that within a week, rice had jumped from N52,000 to N61,000,’’ chairman of the commission, Muhyi Magaji Rimingado said.
“From what we have done so far, we are certain that there is an impact. From here, we are going to the market to ascertain the situation.
“Firstly, we were able to stop the instant increase in prices of the commodities, and secondly, we have the belief that if we sustain the tempo, we will be able to bring down the prices from where they have gotten to.
“As you can see now, we are going round the warehouses, and we met a lot of issues that, after we go back to the office, we are going to digest.
“One fundamental problem is that for each stock we uncover, they claim it is the World Food Programme stock. We wonder if the World Food Programme will starve the country while taking the food somewhere else.”
Speaking further, he said: “I was told here today that the price of maize has jumped from N30,000 to N60,000. So, you see, a 100 per cent increase is unacceptable. You can see these stores; there are hundreds of millions of naira worth of hoarded commodities in them.
“We are taking over the stores now, and we are going to make certain arrests because these will not be tolerated. This is not a market; this is a warehouse. We have activated our intelligence mechanism, and they have come up with reports on where and how they are hoarding it.”