Security agents’ extortion at check-points threaten food security in Nigeria – Grains traders

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By El-Yakub Dabai, Birnin Kebbi

Grains traders at the Nigeria-Benin Republic border market of Tsamiya in Bagudo Local Government Area of Kebbi State have alleged that incessant extortion by security agents at the various check points in the border area responsible for the souring prices of foodstuffs in the country.

While narrating their ordeals to journalists at the border market, the traders claimed they were being extorted on every market day by security agents stationed at the 77 check points along Tsamiya-Koko road to the tune of over N10m and most sadly with no end in sight in spite of their numerous complaints to the affected authorities.

While the Customs and Immigration said their bosses were not in office to respond to the allegation, the Police denied the allegation, with the state police command public relations officer, SP Nafiu Abubakar saying “the command was not aware of the situation and has not received any letter from the market association on the alleged extortion”.

But the chairman, Grains Suplliers Association in Bagudo local government area of the state, Alhaji Rabiu Mainasara said large sums of money was being collected from traders while taking their goods to the market.

He said “From Koko to Tsamiya there are over 77 check points. From Tsamiya to Benin Republic border there are also 56 check points. We pay N650,000 on trailer load of grains, N200,000 on mini truck known as Kanta, N150,000 on Mazda van, N77,000 on pick-up van and N61,000 on Toyota First lady vehicle load of grains.

“N500 is being paid on a 5kg load of grains carried on a motorcycle before passing through the check points. Boys known as ‘camp boys’ are assigned to mark the motorcycles as they pass through the check points.

“We hardly get profit from the grains we bring to the market. People come to this market from Kwara, Niger,Jigawa, Kano, Sokoto, Kaduna Lagos, Oyo States and from neihhbouring countries of Benin and Niger Republics to buy grains but we pay heavily to bring our grains to the market”, he said.

Collaborating Mainasara’s claims, a community leader and one-time councilor in the area, Alhaji Abubakar Usman Tsamiya said the extortion by security agents was affecting the earnings of the traders explaining that some of them were farmers who had committed huge resources to farming and harvesting the produce but were not allowed to get any profit from it.

“We have written to heads of the various security agents in the state on excesses of their men and officers at the check points. But instead of things to change its getting worse.

“We didn’t want our people to take laws into their hands that’s why we wrote to them and as well appealed to them to caution their officials. They are suffocating our traders with excessive extortion”, he said.

Speaking in the same vein, Chairman Rice Traders Association in Bagudo Local Government Area, Alhaji Usman Bala said the Tsamiya border market was serving not only people across the country but also the neighbouring countries of Niger and Benin Republics.

“We lost over N10million to extortion on every market day. We had complained to heads of security agencies, police, customs, immigration and the civil defence”, he said.