Benue farmers petition Audu Ogbeh over extortion

A group of farmers known as the Federated Food Stuff Dealers Association of Nigeria (FFSDAN) in Benue State have petitioned the minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbe over reported cases of extortion of farmers

A copy of the petition was made available to newsmen on Thursday.

The petition was addressed to the minister and copied to the Inspector General of Police, Abubakar Adamu; the Commissioner of Police in Benue state and others.

The farmers said the Minister must act fast in addressing the rampant extortion of money from their members nationwide by workers attached to Federal Quarantine Service Post located at Orokam, Makurdi and Katsina Ala both in Benue state.

The association informed the minister that the said posts have literally become ATM machines to the workers at which they extort money ranging from N3,000 to N7,000 from their members daily since June 2018.

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The petition was signed by the President General of the association, Chief Christian Afiiaonwu; Secretary, Udoka Abukanna; Operational Officer, Sebastian Ageebee and the Public Relations Officer, Adamu Alidu.

The petition reads in part, “For your information sir, there are three Quarantine Posts in Benue State located at Makurdi, Katsina – Ala and Orokam.

“These Posts came into operation in June 2018 and have in recent time been turned into ATM machine at which money ranging from N3,000 to N7,000 are extorted from our members on daily basis .

“These extortions are usually carried out with intimidation under the watchful eyes of security agents mostly Police officers.”

By Babatunde Alao…

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