Farmers and traders moving through Bagudu in Bagudu Local Government Area of Kebbi State voiced their dismay recently regarding the ongoing issue of frequent extortion by security personnel at checkpoints along the route linking Nigeria and the Benin Republic.
During a stop at Tsamiya Market, a supplier loading a truck with 600 bags of maize or millet disclosed the challenging reality of having to shell out a minimum of N600,000 in extortion fees just to reach Argungu and Birnin Kebbi.
Tukur Muhammad, the Secretary of Amana Farmers and Grains Suppliers Association of Nigeria in the area, pointed to the financial strain imposed on them, stating, “We pay N1,000 per 100kg bag of grains loaded in trucks and N500 for a bag on a motorcycle.”
Muhammad attributed the surge in prices of farm produce, goods, and essential items to the prevalent extortion by security operatives in the region, emphasizing that the illegal collections significantly contribute to the overall increase in commodity prices.
“Even if you are not carrying anything on your motorcycle, but you are going to the market, you have to pay an extortion of N300,” he added.
He urged the state government to enforce the collection of Internally Generated Revenue, ending all illegal revenue collections and extortions.
According to Muhammad, this action would safeguard citizens against unauthorized revenue collections and enable the state government to support its coffers.
Chairman of the association, Rabi’u Mainasara, lamented the widespread extortion, disclosing that there are 44 checkpoints on the road from Bagudu to Tsamiya, where every trader or farmer is obligated to pay varying amounts at each checkpoint before being allowed to proceed.
The security agencies allegedly involved include the Nigeria Customs Service, the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Immigration Service, and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps.
“From Bagudu to Tsamiya, they have mounted 44 checkpoints on the road where each trader or farmer must pay certain amounts of money at every checkpoint before he is allowed to go through.
“The security agencies comprise the Nigeria Customs Service, the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Immigration Service, and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps.
“Security operatives posted to man Maje, Saranfo, and Wara Tsamiya checkpoints on the road to the border with the Benin Republic in Bagudo Local Government Area also extort residents of the area,’’ he said.
Mainasara appealed to the federal and Kebbi governments, as well as the heads of the concerned security agencies, to intervene urgently to curtail the practice.
He warned that failure to address the issue promptly could lead to people resorting to self-help measures.
