Onion traders threaten to cut supply to Southern Nigeria

The Onion Producers and Marketers Association of Nigeria (OPMAN) has said it will cut off the supply of the item to the southern part of Nigeria, starting from Monday.

The association is demanding that the government compensate its members who had suffered losses as a result of ethno-religious crises in the South.

Other demands include restoration of law and order in those areas as well as a thorough investigation to uncover the remote causes of those attacks on their members.

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

Addressing journalists after the association’s meeting in Sokoto at the weekend, OPMAN’s President, Aliyu Isa, noted that members of the association lost onions and property worth N4.5 billion in various attacks in the south.

According to him, during the Aba crisis in Abia State, the association lost three members, while about 30 trailers, 9 utility cars, 50 stores and 10,000 bags of onion, among other valuables belonging to their members, were destroyed.

In Shasa, Oyo State, he said 27 lives, five trailers, 5,600 bag of Onions, 12 utility vehicles and other valuables were lost.

Isah added that 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.”