Aloysius Attah,  Onitsha

Members of Food Stuff Dealers Association of Nigeria have informed the Inspector General of Police, other security agencies and Federal Ministry of Agriculture in the country that they would shut their markets, stop moving food stuff across the country and embark on nationwide protest if multiple quarantine posts  erected by officials of Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS) on highways are not dismantled immediately.

The association, in a petition addressed to the Inspector General of Police and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and other security agencies, made available to journalists in Onitsha, stated that they were moved to petition the police boss following the non-response to a petition addressed to the immediate past Minister of Agriculture,  Audu Ogbe, against multiple erection of quarantine posts on roads in Benue State and extortion of money ranging from N2,000 to N7,000 from their members.

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The petition, signed by Chief Christian Afiaonwu, as President General; Udoka Ahukanna as Secretary; Sebastine Ageebee as Operational Officer and Adams Alidu as PRO, stated that the quarantine posts situated at Orokam and Katsina Ala, both in Benue State, are illegal, hence their demand for government to dismantle them immediately, declaring that they would embark on indefinite strike to protest next month if the posts are not dismantled.

The petition reads in part: “Sir, we are aware of the importance of quarantine post, which is primary to checkmate animal disease and unwholesome food stuff from one location to another. We are also aware of the stipulations of Section 12 and 20 of animal diseases (control) decree 10 of 1988 vis-a-vis the establishment of control posts in Nigeria. And to the best of our knowledge, it is mostly located at border areas and not more than one in a state.

“We recognise the Federal Quarantine Control Posts at Jebba, Lokoja, Makurdi and Gada Biu because we were part of the process where it was agreed that they would be established.But those at Katsina Ala and Orokam are illegal because there should not be three quarantine posts in one state. So, we can no longer bear the burden of paying at three posts in Benue State. Hence, our decision to once more draw the attention of government through your revered office.”