we’ll shut down supply to southern states from Monday, Onion marketers threaten

The Association of Onions Producers, Processors and Marketers of Nigeria (OPMAN), has threatened to stop the supply of onions to the entire southern states in Nigeria.

The national president of the association, Alhaji Aliyu Isa, made this disclosure while addressing newsmen after an emergency meeting of the association held in his office in Sokoto, the state capital.

Isa reiterated that the supply of onions will stop temporarily until certain conditions laid down by the association are met.

The association during the meeting disclosed that about N4.5 billion worth of onions and properties were destroyed by suspected hoodlums across the southern states in the last few months, adding that some of the members of the association loss their lives in the process without any compensation.

He stated: “Reference to the national executive meeting held today, we are here to report to the members of the public that the incident that happened in Aba, Abia State, Shasa in Oyo State and Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State, respectively, results in the loss of lives of three members in Abia, destruction of about 30 trailers and nine utility cars, 50 stores and 10,000 bags of onions, including other valuables.

“During the last EndS ars protests, other people were compensated leaving out our members. And in Shasha, we lost 27 lives, five trailers, 5,600 bags of onions, 12 utility cars, and other valuables.

“Also, in February this year, in Imo State, two trucks of onions worth about N13,000,000 were lost. The above problems resulted in our earlier action to suspend the supply of foodstuffs to the southern states in February through our parent union.

“After full deliberations by the executive of members of this association and the failure of government to respond to our cry, we have thereby reached these decisions:

“We are calling on the state and Federal government to restore law and order in the state. We also called on the good people of the southern part of Nigeria to live with the Hausa community in peace as we are only living there for our lawful businesses.”

He, however, said if the government failed to adhere to the demands of the association, they are ready to shut down the supply of onion to the entire south starting from Monday.

“We are shutting down the supply of onions to the entire south by Monday, June 7, 2021. There will be no truck that will offload onions by 12 midnight of Friday, June 11, 2021,” he added.