The Kano State Public Complaints and Anti Corruption Commission (PCACC) has closed down the Zoo Road branch of Sahad Stores and summoned officials of Jifatu Stores along Zaria Road in Kano for allegedly charging excessive prices for basic commodities.
The raid on the two super stores was conducted on Thursday by the PCACC team led by its chairman, Muhuyi Magaji Rimingado KANO FOCUS reports .
Mr Magaji, revealed that the super markets were found violating a government directive to desist from selling basic food items such as sugar, pasta, flour and macaroni above approved prices.
The PCACC had a few days ago reached an agreement with traders at the Singa Market not to hoard or sell essential commodities beyond approved market prices.
“This was based on the discovery that a bag of sugar that was sold for N16,000 immediately with the lockdown over COVID-19 and the Ramadan fasting skyrocket to N28,000,” Mr Magaji said in a statement.
“This lead to the state governor, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje directing the commission to go after traders hoarding foos items and in one swoop at two warehouses 76,645 cartons of Spaghetti was discovered, 19,500 bags of floor, 37,000 cartoons of Macaroni, with 5,120 bags 0f Sugar while the same products were not available at the markets,”he added.
However, on Thursday, the chairman said his team has discovered that both Sahad and Jifatu stores had been violating the price directive by charging customers excessive prices on basic food items.
Mr Magaji said “the exercise was carried out based on the complaints of residents over alleged hike in prices of essential commodities that led the governor to order a crackdown on the offenders.”
He explained that some of the major super stores raided were Jifatu store on Zaria Road and Sahad Store on Zoo road.
“However, after raiding, the Chief Operating Officer of Jifatu Super Stores was directed to be at the Commission on Friday over non-compliance as a bag of Sugar was sold for N25,000 and Sahad Store was closed, “he said.
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