From Okwe Obi, Abuja
The Farmers Forum of Nigeria (FFN) has solicited the intervention of the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, over cashew business racketeering.
The Forum’s national spokesperson, Ibrahim Adama, in a statement yesterday, alleged that some members of National Cashew Association of Nigeria (NCAN), were hijacking cashew produce despite an ongoing case in court between the NCAN and the Kogi State Cashew Stakeholders Association.
Adama said it would be a contempt of court if the police commissioners in Edo, Ogun, Osun, or Lagos states should take side with the NCAN and stop the movement of farm produce in their respective states. He also claimed that three trucks of cashew produce were in the custody of some thugs in Ibilo, Edo State. He appealed to the IGP to intervene, and urged the police in Edo to resist being used by anybody to escalate the problem.
“We, the farmers and critical cashew stakeholders are appealing to the Inspector General of police to wade in pending the determination of the case in Federal High Court. I appeal to police in Edo State not to allow anybody to use them in hijacking produce that have satisfied all its standard as that will further create tension in the land. Nigeria as a country is going through a lot, and another action that can provoke public reaction negatively should be carefully avoided as much as possible,” he said.