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Onion Traders Threaten Supply Cut South

WEEKS after they cut the supply of onions to the Southeast, the Association of Onions Producers, Processors and Marketers of Nigeria (OPMAN), has threatened to extend the cut to the Southsouth and the Southwest.

OPMAN said its members will today stop supplying onions unless the government meets its conditions.

According to the association, N4.5 billion worth of onions and properties were destroyed by suspected hoodlums across the 18 states in the three regions in the South.

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OPMAN’s National President Alhaji Aliyu Isa announced the imminent supply cut in Sokoto during a chat with reporters after the association’s emergency meeting in his office.

He called on governors to urgently collaborate with the federal government to raise a committee to look into the root causes of the numerous attacks on OPMAN members.

Isa announced: “Reference to the national executive meeting held today, we are here to report to the members of the public that following the incident that happened in Aba, Abia State, Shasa in Oyo State and Mbaise local government area of Imo State respectively which results to the loss of; in Aba, three members, destruction of about 30 trailers and nine utility cars, 50 stores and 10,000 bags of onions including other valuables.

“During the last #EndSARS protests, other people were compensated leaving out our members. And In Shaha where we lost 27 lives, 5 trailers, 5,600 bags of Onions, 12 utility cars and other valuables.

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

“After full deliberation 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 there for our lawful businesses.

“We also called on the state government to collaborate with the federal government to set up a committee to investigate the incident that leads to the loss of lives and properties of our members.”

He warned that the association will: “We are shutting down the supply of onions to the entire South by Monday, June 7, 2021.

“There will be no truck that will off-load onions by 12 midnight of Friday 11th June 2021,” he added.

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