The Kano State Public Complaint and Anti-corruption Commission (PCACC) has threatened to close warehouses or stores hoarding foodstuff.

The commission’s chairman, Muhuyi Rimingado, made this known while addressing reporters on Thursday in Kano.

Mr Rimingado said such attitude compounds the untold economic pangs facing state residents.

He explained that the commission had ignited intelligence mechanisms and would clamp down on the warehouses and stores before Ramadan.

Mr Rimingado called on the people to assist the commission with useful information that could pave the way to identifying the erring stores.

“With the advent of Ramadan, we are not going to fold our arms as we are going to swing into action.

“We are not going to watch people take advantage of the situation by engaging in hoarding and compounding the situation,” he said.

The chairman urged the residents to help identify warehouses and stores hoarding food items. He promised that the identities of such residents would be protected.

“I believe there is a problem of inflation, which is one of the genesis of hardship, but hoarding also contributed, and we will not allow it.

“The Kano State government is worried over the situation. The situation is unbearable; people are hungry. A hungry man is an angry man,” Mr Rimingado said.

He appealed to traders taking advantage of the hardship to hoard foodstuff to desist, adding, “because we will not allow it.”

“And if we find essential commodities that were hoarded, we have three options. One of the options is to lock down the store, seize the property and take the matter to court.

”And the court, in its wisdom, will tell us what to do with the property. And that is a setback to the owners because we have confiscated the property, and it can get spoilt,” he said. 

(NAN)