The Kano Public Complaint and Anti-Corruption Commission (PCACC) has threatened to clamp down on hoarders of essential commodities across the state.
Addressing journalists in his office on Thursday, the Executive Chairman of the Commission, Barrister Muhuyi Magaji Rimin-Gado, said it is pertinent to do so as part of an ongoing effort to alleviate the economic hardship of the citizenry, vowing to prosecute and confiscate hoarded goods.
Magaji Rimin-Gado said the government has a responsibility to keep and maintain the well-being of its citizens, as he stressed that hoarding is a criminal offence in Nigeria.
The anti-corruption czar warned, “I want to make it clear that we have activated our surveillance and intelligence on suspected hoarders, and where such unwholesome practices are uncovered, we will not hesitate to lock down the affected warehouse, seize the property, and drag them to court.”
He assured, “Let me make it abundantly clear that anyone who allows us to seize their property will not get it back, and we are ready to contest it up to the Supreme Court.”
He revealed that “Investigations have uncovered undue influence perpetrated by certain elements within the system, and you may wish to ask yourself what Forex has to do with cash crops like beans, garri, maize, grains, and others”.
The tough-talking anti-corruption boss noted, “We admit that Forex issues have compounded the economic hardship, but I want to appeal to businessmen not to take advantage of the situation.”
“We are beaming our searchlight on Dawanawu commodity market, as we are suspending every other job to restore sanity in the system on or before Ramadan,” Rimin-Gado said.
He reminded that when they took on this kind of scenario during COVID-19, Rice was sold at 36,000 and after our intervention, dropped to 25,000 and Sugar was sold at N25,000 and the Commission ensured that it brought it down to N17,000.
Muhuyi Magaji Rimin-Gado appealed to the populace to also support the commission with information on the activities of hoarders of goods in the interest of the generality.
