It’s of no consequence to us – Ohanaeze Ndigbo
The Amalgamated Union of Foodstuff and Cattle Dealers in Nigeria (AUFCDN) yesterday caved in to reason by lifting the blockade on food supplies to the south.
The food union did not take the decision until the federal government agreed to pay its members N4.75 billion.
AUFCDN president, Mr. Muhammad Tahir announced this in Abuja after a meeting with the federal government, represented by the governor of Kogi State, Mr. Yahaya Bello.
The traders had blocked food supply to the South to demand the payment of N475 billion compensation for the lives of their members and properties lost during last October’s #EndSARS protest and the recent Shasha Market mayhem in Oyo State.
The traders had also demanded the dismantling of road blocks on Federal highways and an agreement with state governments to withdraw services anytime their members are attacked.
Addressing journalists, Tahir said the government agreed to ensure protection of the union’s members and stop multiple taxation as well as intimidation by security officials on the highways.
“All stakeholders and members of AUFCDN in our nationwide strike are glad we achieved what we wanted to achieve. Since Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello begged us on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria, we agreed to call off the nationwide strike today…”
Addressing the unionists during the reconciliatory meeting, Bello said the blockade had led to increase in hardship that majority of Nigerians were already passing through, including members of the union.
Earlier, the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, had said the food blockade to the south by some northern groups would not affect the southeast.
It recalled that the region survived 30 months of food blockade by the federal government during the civil war, adding that the food blockade was no big deal.
Spokesman for the group, Mr. Alex Ogbonnia, who spoke in an interview, said there was no need for the blockade ab initio.
“On the other hand, they have been the aggressors. They have been the predators. The north has been creating problems in various ways. For them to begin to protest and issue threats of food blockade is astonishing.
“However, there is nothing they bring from the north that we do not have in the south. There’s nothing in the north that we do not cultivate and nurture in the south. Is it the cow? Is it the goat? Is it the garden egg? Is it yam? Of course the south is so versatile with fertile land all over the place to produce anything.”
Ogbonnia said the food blockade would open a new vista for Ndigbo.
“We are only waiting for the first rain. By the time the first rain comes, all these things they imported from the north, we’ll mass produce them. By June, October and November this year, you will see food everywhere in the south.
“So they are helping us to look inward. If three years in Biafra the South-East didn’t die, is it now only one month that we will die? So, I will only say that it is a good development to help the southeast look inward and southwest to look inward also,” he added.
