The Kano Public Complaints and Anti Corruption Commission has warned shop owners to desist from hoarding essential goods in the city.
The Commission said its men would break into the shops and confiscate the goods, if the shop owners refuse to sell to members of the public.
The Chairman of the Commission, Barrister Muhyi Magaji, who handed down the warning while addressing journalists on Thursday in Kano, noted that, despite the foreign exchange crisis, the hike in the prices of goods across the country is unacceptable.
Muhyi disclosed that the Commission has already set up a surveillance and intelligence network and will soon clamp down on anybody found hoarding essential goods.
He said the hoarding of goods is against the law.
“Apart from the forex and government issue business people are compounding the problem by hoarding the goods and commodities and this will be met with our wrath
“Therefore, those who engage in hoarding essential commodities should desist henceforth because we will lock down their stores and take anybody found wanting to court. Will will take them up to the Supreme Court if necessary.
“We will not watch businessmen hoarding commodities. We know there is the issue of forex but those that hoard goods are doing it against the interests of the people and we will tackle it all the powers within us.
“We have inspected a rice mill and it is N58,000 at company’s price. We made enquires and they said it is because of power, diesel and so many other problems that has to do with foreign currencies.
“Nonetheless we know apart from the forex and government issue, business people are compounding the problem and that is where we are coming in and our warning remains that we will ensure that before the fasting period, something must be done to drag the price down,” he said.
