The Kano State Public Complaint and Anti-Corruption Commission has announced that 10 warehouses sealed last week by the Kano State Government for alleged hoarding of foodstuffs have now been unsealed.
During a telephone interview, the chairman of the commission, Muhyi Magaji, mentioned to our correspondent that the warehouse owners had arrived and were instructed to open and sell to the public. As a result, a drop in the prices of foodstuffs had begun to be witnessed in Kano, Magaji said.
He said, “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.
During the operation, the owners of the warehouses were nowhere to be found, yet those that were opened were filled with commodities like spaghetti, rice, sugar, and other food items. The owners received a notice to report to the commission before facing charges in court for their illegal activities.
Muhuyi stated that the operation had a significant impact on curbing the price increase of grains and other essential commodities in the state.
He rejected the assertion made by the Management of Dawanau International Grains Market that they were not hoarding foodstuff to create artificial scarcity.
Earlier reports indicated that grain dealers at the Dawanau International Grains Market have recently announced a decrease in grain prices after the state anti-graft agency threatened to prosecute shylock dealers who violated the agency's order or hoarded grains to maximize profits.
A bag of maize now sells for about N53,000, as opposed to the previous price of N60,000, due to the threat, while guinea corn now sells for N49,000, compared to the former price of N55,000, depending on the quality.
Also, a bag of millet that was previously sold for N60,000 now costs N53,000, and the price of beans ranges between N85,000 and N90,000, as opposed to the old price range of N95,000 to N100,000, depending on quality.
