Food blockage: Lagos, other South-West towns groan under scarcity, soaring prices

 

The blockage of food and cattle from the Northern parts of the country to the Southern parts is beginning to take a toll on Lagos and other South-Western cities and towns, DAILY POST investigation has revealed.

Though the threat to withdraw cattle and food supply to the South had initially been thought to be a joke or a mere threat that cannot be acted upon by many, especially those in the South, who heavily depend on vegetables, especially tomatoes, pepper and onions from the North. They were, however, jolted into reality after videos emerged online showing trucks loaded with perishable goods, yams and cattle being blocked and turned back at a village shortly after Jebba, at the border between Kwara and Niger States.

That singular action and its attendant implications on the availability and prices of meat, vegetables and other goods from the North, have shown how deeply dependent the South has become in terms of food supply.

DAILY POST had reported a threat by the Amalgamated Union of Foodstuff and Cattle Dealers of Nigeria (AUFCDN) to withdraw the services of their members nationwide if the Federal Government fails to pay them a whopping sum of N450 billion as compensation for the killings of their members and the losses incurred in the course of supplying foodstuff and cattle to different parts of the country

The union, which gave the government a seven-day ultimatum to compensate its members, also alleged payment of multiple taxes in the course of the cross-country supplies.

The President of the union, Muhammad Tahir, while addressing a press conference in Abuja, claimed that they have been subjected to intimidation, humiliation and destruction. He also added that 151 of their members were killed during the #EndSARS protests last October while 100 were murdered during the Sasha market crisis in Ibadan, Oyo State.

Tahir said amongst other things requested was an, “agreement between state governments and the union that henceforth, if any violence erupts in that state and our members are attacked, we will not hesitate to immediately withdraw our services.

‘’Based on the above, we are, therefore, giving the federal government seven days ultimatum within which to address the issues raised, or we have no option than to call our members out on a nationwide strike.’’

Following the footsteps of the AUFCDN, the Bauchi State branch of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN),
also vowed to stop the sale of cattle to southern Nigeria,

The Bauchi MACBAN, at a press briefing in Bauchi, hinged its threat on another alleged threat by governors of the South-West to evict herdsmen from their states.

Angry Reactions

With the seeming success of the food blockage, which is still at the early stage, the Middle Belt Forum and the Yoruba apex sociocultural organisation, Afenifere, have come out to condemn the action.

For the Middle Belt Forum, it was shocked by the action, which it described as orchestrated and unpatriotic.

Dr. Bitrus Pogu, the National Chairman of the forum, said: “We are not only stunned by this act which we believe is orchestrated by some unpatriotic elements but also shocked at this despicable action.

“Amid the ongoing banditry in various parts of the country, the deliberate blockage of food items is nothing short of waging another form of terrorism on Nigerians. We cannot as a nation afford to deal with these urchins and bandits with kid gloves,” he added.

The Afenifere, however, has a different reaction from that of the Middle Belt Forum. It told the North that it was okay for them to withdraw their food, but they should remember that southern states produce petroleum the country’s economic mainstay.

The Afenifere, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Yinka Odumakin, noted that the South has other sources of protein apart from consuming cows.

“They should not forget that petroleum goes from South to the North. So, they should be careful. When you are throwing stones at your neighbours, you should be careful what he throws back at you.

“If they withdraw their cows from the South, no problem about that. Before cows, we had what we were eating.

Feeling the Pains of Scarcity, Soaring Prices

It’s just about a week now that the food blockage started and the impact is being felt loudly in Lagos and other cities and towns in the South-West.

A visit by DAILY POST to the Kara meat market along the Denro-Ishashi road in Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State, best exemplified the impact of the blockage as the usual bubbling market was a shadow of itself.

DAILY POST observed that there was no cow meat on sale as none was slaughtered as at 2pm on Monday (yesterday)

In a brief chat with one of the popular meat sellers at the market known as Baba Ijebu, it was revealed that the food blockage has caused serious scarcity of cows and a few available were simply beyond reach.

“Long before now, we were buying a medium size cow for N150, 000 or thereabout, but it went up to more than N250,000 even before the blockage. Now, it is simply not 

reasonable at all. There is no point buying a cow, slaughter it and not able to sell to make profit.

“Only a few are available for sale and the price has become so unreasonable because of the scramble for it by so many people. Remember that it is also the same places we buy from that people from Lagos State also buy from because here is almost seen as part of Lagos”, Baba Ijebu said.

A woman in her early fifties who sells pepper and tomatoes at the market, explained to DAILY POST what led to the unbearable cost. According to her, the last time she went to the market before the blockage, she bought a basket of tomatoes for N15,000 but at the weekend, the same basket was sold for N38,000.