Foodstuff dealers under the auspices of Amalgamated Union of Foodstuff and Cattle Dealers of Nigeria, AUFCDN, has accused the Nigerian Police Force of extortion on highways.
National President, AUFCDN, Muhammad Tahir, made the accusation in a chat with journalist over the challenges his members face daily while transporting foodstuff and livestock to various markets in the country.
According to Tahir complain has been made to the Police due to pressure and delay they allegedly receive from officers and men of the Nigerian Police Force on highways in the southern part of the country.
He further stated that the alleged action by the police and multiple taxations his members face has led to an increase in prices of foodstuff, hence making it difficult for people to afford.
He said: “We have received many complaints from our members who are transporting foodstuff from North to South-south that officers and men of the Nigerian Police Force enforcing the government’s lockdown order on highways are collecting money from them despite the President in his national broadcast specifying group of people exempted from the lockdown and stay-at-home.
“We have reached the Assistant Inspector General Police in charge of South-South, South-East and South-West on the issue of extortion by officers and men of the Force who promised to look into the matter.
“We are also appealing to the Police to look into these complaints from our members and stop this illegal collection of money from our members who are exempted from the lockdown order because if not it will lead to high prices and there will be hunger in the land.”