Farmers and merchants passing via Bagudu in Bagudu Native Authorities Space of Kebbi State expressed their frustration on Sunday over what they describe as fixed extortion by safety operatives at varied checkpoints alongside the highway connecting Nigeria with the Benin Republic.
At Tsamiya Market, a grain provider loading a truck with 600 luggage of maize or millet revealed the burden of paying at the least N600,000 in extortion charges to succeed in Argungu and Birnin Kebbi.
Tukur Muhammad, the Secretary of Amana Farmers and Grains Suppliers Affiliation of Nigeria within the space, pointed to the monetary pressure imposed on them, stating, “We pay N1,000 per 100kg bag of grains loaded in vans and N500 for a bag on a motorbike.”
Muhammad attributed the surge in costs of farm produce, items, and important gadgets to the prevalent extortion by safety operatives within the area, emphasizing that the unlawful collections considerably contribute to the general improve in commodity costs.
“Even in case you are not carrying something in your bike, however you’ll the market, you need to pay an extortion of N300,” he added.
He urged the state authorities to implement the gathering of Internally Generated Income, ending all unlawful income collections and extortions.
In response to Muhammad, this motion would safeguard residents in opposition to unauthorized income collections and allow the state authorities to help its coffers.
Chairman of the affiliation, Rabi’u Mainasara, lamented the widespread extortion, disclosing that there are 44 checkpoints on the highway from Bagudu to Tsamiya, the place each dealer or farmer is obligated to pay various quantities at every checkpoint earlier than being allowed to proceed.
The safety businesses allegedly concerned embody the Nigeria Customs Service, the Nigeria Police Pressure, the Nigeria Immigration Service, and the Nigerian Safety and Civil Defence Corps.
“From Bagudu to Tsamiya, they’ve mounted 44 checkpoints on the highway the place every dealer or farmer should pay sure quantities of cash at each checkpoint earlier than he’s allowed to undergo.
“The safety businesses comprise the Nigeria Customs Service, the Nigeria Police Pressure, the Nigeria Immigration Service and the Nigerian Safety and Civil Defence Corps.
“Safety operatives posted to man Maje, Saranfo and Wara Tsamiya checkpoints on the highway to the border with the Benin Republic in Bagudo Native Authorities Space additionally extort residents of the realm,’’ he mentioned.
Mainasara appealed to the federal and Kebbi governments, in addition to the heads of the involved safety businesses, to intervene urgently to curtail the apply.
He warned that failure to deal with the problem promptly might result in folks resorting to self-help measures.