The Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, on Thursday met the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), as part of ongoing efforts to further pacify members of the Amalgamated Union of Foodstuff and Cattle Dealers in Nigeria who called off their strike on Wednesday.

While the strike lasted, members of AUFCDN had blocked the movement of cattle and foodstuffs from the Northern part of the country to the South.

But they called off the strike on Wednesday following the intervention of the governor and a former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode.

Their President, Muhammad Tahir, had said the strike was called off following the Federal Government’s promise to pay N4.75bn compensation, stop multiple taxes and ensure protection of their members, among others.

Emerging from the meeting where he briefed the President on the development at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Thursday, Bello said the traders were not asking for too much.

“I don’t think they are asking for too much. If those demands are met, or at least, attempts have been made to meet those demands, and if they can graciously respect Mr President, respect us and sympathise with Nigerians and call off their strike and begin the supply of food and other items to all parts of this country, I think it behoves on us to also meet them midway so that there will be no such occurrence again,” the governor said.

Justifying the demands, Bello noted that while they were carrying out their legitimate business, criminals hijacked the process, killed them “in their hundreds” and destroyed property worth billions of naira.

He added, “Those that were killed, their families, the properties that were lost, where are they going to start from?

“They are demanding that the Federal Government should do something and remember they have gone round the country, met various authorities and you know, they never received any attention. Hence, they embarked on that particular strike.”

Bello said the President had already directed law enforcement agencies to ensure that traders were no longer extorted.

He recalled that before the strike was called off, the crisis was already degenerating into what he called “a major national catastrophe” where some other parts of the country were gearing up for reprisals.

The governor added, “We cannot afford to allow this country to snowball into civil war again, not this time around.

“We are so much interwoven that we are inseparable, again. By marriage, business investments, politics, and every other form of development, Nigeria is so much interwoven that we shouldn’t allow few bad elements, however, lowly placed or highly placed, come and divide us again.

“So, I think that if the Federal Government or the authorities take responsibility and do or attend to it (the demand), I think such a strike will not repeat itself again.”

The governor also denied insinuations that his intervention was because of his 2023 presidential ambition.

He said some people had been calling on him to contest the presidential election in 2023, saying such calls were within their rights.

He, however, said he currently had an assignment to govern his state well.

But they called off the strike on Wednesday following the intervention of the governor and a former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode.

QuotaSystem:
3 Core Fruits of the Food Embargo.

1. The main concern of the Northern traders was addressed. Commitments regarding their safety and free movement were extracted from the SW envoy and the Federal Government so their primary objective was achieved.

2. Their secondary request for compensation has also been considered and they will receive billions of Naira in compensation.

3. The North has demonstrated clearly that it holds the keys to the nations food security and is an important, strategic contributor to the nations well being & commonwealth, as was indicated by the widespread scarcity, price hikes and lamentations by consumers and marketers for the duration of the food blockade into the SW. The south also benefited by a renewed awareness of its dependence on the North for several food items and the need to become as self sufficient as soon as possible.

Yoruba1stson:
We have told you guys to keep your fucking food in your cursed land that we don't need you any more

Blockade: Meat scarcity, high food prices persist in Lagos, Ibadan, others

By Oladeinde Olawoyin, Abdulkareem Mojeed and 5 Others

Prices of foodstuff and beef have risen in Lagos, Ibadan, Benin, Uyo, and other parts of Southern Nigeria in recent days, a PREMIUM TIMES’ survey has revealed.

The hike in prices comes against the backdrop of a blockade of southern Nigeria announced by the Amalgamated Union of Foodstuff and Cattle Dealers of Nigeria (AUFCDN) last week.

The union is demanding the protection of its members and payment of about N475 billion compensation for lives and property lost in the wake of the crises recorded across Nigeria in recent months.

PREMIUM TIMES’ investigation at foodstuff and commodity markets revealed that the action of the union has driven up prices of beef, foodstuff and vegetables, especially in states in the southern part of the country and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

Lagos

At the popular Mile 12 market in Lagos, this newspaper observed Tuesday that meat sellers across the market were largely absent and there was scarcity of tomatoes, pepper and some other food items brought from the northern part of the country.

When PREMIUM TIMES’ reporter visited the market, the few available tomatoes traders were besieged by a crowd of desperate buyers haggling prices.

A big basket of tomatoes, which sold between N5, 000 to N6,000 before the food blockade, sold for as high as N35, 000 on Tuesday. Similarly, a bag of pepper was sold at an average price of N17, 000, from a relatively lower price of between N8, 000 and N10, 000 last week.

“This crate of tomatoes is N13, 000. We sold it for N2,500, even N2, 000 when there was plenty goods. See around, no tomatoes in the market,” a trader told our reporter, pointing at the crate of tomatoes.

Some other sellers sold crates of tomatoes between N11, 000 and N8, 500, depending on how fresh they looked.

“The price of pepper has even gone down today, as at yesterday (Monday), we sold a bag for N28, 000,” a trader said.

Checks by PREMIUM TIMES Tuesday revealed that (cow) butchers were largely absent from their stalls in the market. Traders in the market attributed their absence to the fact that cows are no longer being killed at abattoirs due to high prices.

PREMIUM TIMES also observed that onions, which sold between N11, 000 and N12, 000 per bag, now average between N20, 000 and N25, 000 per bag.

South-South

In Uyo, the capital of Akwa-Ibom state, PREMIUM TIMES gathered that scarcity of beef has become a source of concern for residents.

Mijin Yawa, chairman of meat sellers in one of the markets in the Akwa Ibom state capital, said they did not have enough cattle to slaughter.

“The situation is we don’t have what to use, when the raw material is not there, there is no way for you to produce. The raw material of meat is cow, and we don’t have it. This is as a result of the national strike by the Amalgamated Union of Foodstuff and Cattle Dealers of Nigeria (AUFCDN) that is on,” he said.

“So meat is very, very expensive now, not only meat, even rice, beans, and others are very expensive here.”

Mr Yawa said in markets where they usually slaughter up to 50 cattle daily in the past, they now struggle to kill 20 cows because of scarcity.

“We’re now taking from our reserves, so that people can access small meat. They’re now selling a pan weight at N1500 instead of N800,” he said.

Tirmidhi Alamu, who trades cow meat at New Benin market in Edo State, told our reporter on Tuesday that cow is very expensive in the market.

He stated that a small-sized cow they used to buy at N180,000 was sold to them at N350,000 on Tuesday morning in the market.

“We don’t even know what to do, and we have to sell,” he lamented.

“But meat is too expensive. We learned the northerners said they will no longer bring cattle for us anymore unless the federal government compensates them for their losses. The situation is tough here.”

Ibadan

In Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, prices of foodstuff and beef have also recorded a jump in the last few days.

Segun Akinlabi, a meat seller in Olodo market, explained that beef has been expensive because the northerners are not taking cows to the city again.

“This hike we experience from the last two weeks is worrisome,” he said.

“The meat you brought N1,000 last two weeks now cost up to N5,000. I bought the arm (of a cow) that I am currently selling today for N35,000 which ought not to be. If it were before, I should not have bought it for more than N25,000.”

Omodasola Yusuf, Iyalaje of Olodo market, said rice, beans, and other goods have been very difficult to purchase due to the blockade.

“Dry pepper that was sold for N700 five days ago is now N1,000,” she said.

“We urge the government to help us and ensure that there is unity in Nigeria so that everyone will not die of hunger.”

Biatu Adejuwon, Olodo market spokesperson, lamented the increase in the prices of foodstuff since the blockade was announced.

“I sell corn and I can tell you that things have been terrible,” the spokesperson said.

“It is not the same price we bought and sold goods last week that is obtainable this week. We sold a Congo of beans for N600 last week but it is now N750. Hausa people are not bringing goods and people now hike the little they have. We are tired already and hoping that God will save us from the hardship.

“Many of us borrowed money from microfinance to run our businesses but people are not buying because things are expensive. We hope the authorities can find lasting solutions to this.”

SOURCE: https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/446527-blockade-meat-scarcity-high-food-prices-persist-in-lagos-ibadan-others.html

Yoruba1stson:
pls who begged these babiallah to stop the blockade.

QuotaSystem:


It is pure wickedness to be peddling this false narrative online while your people in the real world were lamenting just a few days of the blockade.

How about a true, factual perspective from a team of 7 professional, reputable southern journalists from an independent southern newspaper?

QuotaSystem:


The compensation they received was just 10% of their demand, however it demonstrated the commitment to peace by all parties.

Indeed the northern food & cattle dealers showed great maturity and understanding for accepting the governments N4.5 billion naira offer, in light of the huge losses they've suffered in the hands of animalistic southern savages in recent months.

Their bloodless, non-kinetic yet effective approach must also be commended.

CobraAnambra:

Why the tears. You behaved as animals and you were treated as animals.
Wipe your tears and go join your members by the roadside to eat your tomatoes

-cobra

Mightyhaiz:
If the igbos are to be compensated in this shitbox for all the injustice meted on them from 1966 to date,it will consume the country's networth several times over. How many times have they lost lives,limbs and properties worth billions in the litany of religious crisis that have rocked the northern part of the country?? How many times have their properties and goods worth billions been looted,burnt or seized in the west.. All over the country , in almost every single state outside the southeast,their buildings till date have still not been released to them since after the civil war. Lets not even talk about the blatant marginalisation esp by the lifeless one's regime which until recently was roaringly applauded by our yorobabrothers (till the axe swung to their side)..


The shitbox na big joke

QuotaSystem:


It is pure wickedness to be peddling this false narrative online while your people in the real world were lamenting just a few days of the blockade.

How about a true, factual perspective from a team of 7 professional, reputable southern journalists from an independent southern newspaper?

thebosstrevor1:


Stop acting like a victim.

The igbos were compensated after the civil war.

QuotaSystem:


It is pure wickedness to be peddling this false narrative online while your people in the real world were lamenting just a few days of the blockade.

How about a true, factual perspective from a team of 7 professional, reputable southern journalists from an independent southern newspaper?

thebosstrevor1:


The igbo leaders agreed to a 50 naira one time payment to all Igbos who lost their properties during the civil war.

Many yorubas didn't return your properties, they stole them and make it theirs, some saw it as the spoils of war.

Iamgrey5:
I am not Igbo, I am Yoruba

But can you mention one Igbo property stolen by Yorubas, just one!

thebosstrevor1:


You want me to mention private lands, buildings, businesses that were seized from the igbos by yorubas.

You also want me to mention properties that were ceased from the igbos in lagos and turn into Government properties.

Pls go and read more of chinue achebe books

QuotaSystem:
Are there any lower animals than your skull hunting Yoruba Heads-men? This is what happens when a bloo.dy ritualist is handed an android phone.

N4.5 billion tears are much better than Oduduwa International IDP Camp tears anyday you will agree .

Igbohoe has been humbled by mere food strike so pack your tail between your legs and scram instead of trying to save face in my mentions. Try any nonsense next time and see if you will be this lucky again to escape without kinetic consequences.

QuotaSystem:


Quit clowning & get serious.

These people are masters of propaganda so the truth must be continually hammered for record purposes and reference for generations to come.

thebosstrevor1:


Premium news is part of the yoruba media complex.

The publisher is Dapo Olorunyomi.


Are you trying to deny the things he published are not true.

Names and locations were mentioned by the yoruba media, why are you panicking.

Iamgrey5:
Yes, mention a single property.

Atleast you claim you argue with facts.

Mention one property belonging to Igbos stolen by Yorubas.

Iamgrey5:
It seems your brain is overheating

Your are fighting someone who was trying to make a similar point your were making

Quotasystem is a Northerner

thebosstrevor1:


Go and read chinue Achebe book and learn about what happened in lagos to igbo people

thebosstrevor1:


I didn't know.

One love.

I edited the comment..check again

Iamgrey5:
My friend go and sleep.

Why can't you mention Those property stolen?


Chinue Achebe wrote a lot of books, which one specifically stated the Igbo properties stolen by Yorubas in Lagos?