Kano, Nigeria – The Kano State Public Complaints and Anti Corruption Commission has seized 10 warehouses containing assorted foodstuffs in the Dawanau area of Dawakin Tofa Local Government Area of the state.

The commission’s Chairman, Mr Muhyi Magaji, told reporters on Sunday that the owners of the warehouses were hoarding essential commodities and inflating their prices, exploiting the consumers and worsening the food insecurity situation in the country.

He said the owners had been issued notice to report to the commission and face charges for their illegal activities.

A fight against price hike

Magaji said the commission was determined to stop the sudden rise in the price of essential commodities, which had jumped by more than 100 percent in some cases within a week.

He said the commission had activated its intelligence mechanism and identified the warehouses where the foodstuffs were hoarded.

“As you can see, the commission has made true its promise that we are going to embark on a fight against the hoarding of essential commodities in the state,” he said.

“We started last Thursday, and we have made a significant impact towards stopping the instant rise in the price of essential commodities.”

He said the commission had found large quantities of commodities, including spaghetti, rice, pasta, sugar, and other food items, in the warehouses.

“Some of them claim that they are storing the foodstuffs for the World Food Programme, but we wonder if the World Food Programme will starve the country while taking the food somewhere else,” he said.

A nationwide problem

Nigeria is facing a worsening economic crisis, with inflation reaching 18.3 percent in December 2023, the highest in four years, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

The country’s food inflation rose to 23.6 percent, driven by the impact of the climate crisis, insecurity, border closures, and the depreciation of the naira.

The World Food Programme (WFP) estimates that 26.5 million people across the country will face acute hunger in the June-August 2024 lean season, a staggering increase from the 18.6 million people food insecure at the end of 2023.

The northeast region, where a decade-long insurgency by Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) has displaced millions of people, is the most affected by food insecurity.

The WFP said up to 4.4 million people in the states of Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe will require food assistance during the lean season, with over 1 million people facing emergency levels of hunger.

Ray of hope

Despite the grim situation, some experts and activists are optimistic that the government and civil society can work together to address the food crisis and ensure food security for all Nigerians.

Dr. Amina Ahmed, an agricultural economist and the director of the Centre for Food and Agricultural Policy at the University of Abuja said the government should invest more in the agricultural sector, especially in irrigation, storage, processing, and transportation facilities.

She also called for the reopening of the land borders, which were closed in August 2019 to curb smuggling and boost local production, but have been blamed for contributing to the food inflation.

“The border closure has not achieved its intended objectives. It has only increased the cost of food and the hardship of the people. The government should reopen the borders and strengthen the customs and security agencies to enforce the laws and regulations on trade and movement,” she said.

She also urged the government to address the security challenges in the country, especially in the rural areas, where farmers are often attacked by bandits, kidnappers, and insurgents.

“We need to restore peace and stability in the country, especially in the food-producing areas. The farmers need to feel safe and secure to go back to their farms and produce enough food for the nation,” she said.

Source: Punch