Inflation: Kano anti-graft agency to arrest, prosecute foodstuff hoarders

From Mustapha Adamu, Kano

Amid growing concerns over high cost of commodities, the Kano State Public Complaint and Anti-corruption Commission, PCACC, has on Thursday threatened to clamp down on warehouses or stores engaged in hoarding of foodstuff to compound the untold hardship faced by the people.

Chairman of the Commission, Barrister Muhuyi Magaji Rimingado made this known at a press conference on Thursday.

Rimingado said the commission had ignited intelligence mechanism on the matter and will clamp down on the warehouses and stores before the month of Ramadan.

He called on the people to assist the commission with useful informations that will lead identifying of the stores.

According to him, “with the advent of Ramadan, we are not going to fold our arms as we are going to swing into action. We are not going to watch people take advantage of the situation by engaging in hoarding and compounding the situation.

“We are asking people with useful information to come forward with them to help the commission identify warehouses or stores where hoarding is taking place. The commission will be glad with such genuine information and will protect the identity of such person.

“I believe there is a problem of inflation which is one of the genesis of hardship but hoarding too also contributed. And we will not allow it.

“To even hoard and take advantage of the people is undue influence and that is part of corruption. We are overwhelmed, this is the most essential part of our job.

“The Kano State government is worried over the situation. The situation is unbearable, people are hungry. A hungry man is an angry man.

“We are appealing to the traders that if they know they hoard the food stuffs to take advantage of the situation, they should bring out to the market because we will not allow it.

“And if we find essential commodities that were hoard, we have three options. One of the options is to lock down the store, seize the property and take the matter to court. And the court in its wisdom will tell us what to do with the property. And that is a set back to owner because we have confiscated the property and it can get spoilt,” Bar. Rimingado however stated.