Story from Kenneth AFOR, Lagos

The Onion Producers and Marketers Association of Nigeria (OPMAN), have said that supplies of the commodity to the southern part of the country will be suspended from Monday until the federal and state governments respond to its demands.

This was disclosed on Saturday in Sokoto State by the president of the association, Aliyu Isa while addressing journalists.

In a report by Daily Trust, the association is demanding that its members who had suffered losses as a result of ethno-religious crises in the South should be duly compensated.

Also, law and orders should be restored in troubled states and a thorough investigation should be carried out to uncover the remote causes of attacks on its members.

OPMAN also called on the host communities to respect the constitutional rights of northern traders in their respective states.

According to Isa, members of the association lost onions and property worth N4.5 billion in various attacks in the south.

He said during the Aba crisis in Abia State, the association lost three members, while about 30 trailers, nine utility cars, 50 stores and 10,000 bags of onion, among other valuables belonging to their members, were destroyed.

Aliyu added that during the Sasha market crisis in Oyo State, about 27 lives were lost, five trailers, 5,600 bags of onions, 12 utility vehicles and other valuables were destroyed as well as members were robbed of onions worth N13 million in Imo State.

He said, “After full deliberation by the executive members of this association and the failure of government to respond to our cry, we resolved…that we are shutting down the supply of onions to the entire South by Monday, June 7, 2021, unless all our demands are met.”

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