DSS quizzes cattle dealers’ leaders over food blockade to South

The leadership of cattle and foodstuff dealers under the aegis of Amalgamated Union of Foodstuff and Cattle Dealers of Nigeria was yesterday questioned by the Department of State Service over the ongoing strike by the union.

The union’s General Secretary, Ahmed Alaramma, who disclosed this at a press briefing at Labour House, said the president of the association, Mohammed Tahir, was quizzed by the officials of DSS.

Alaramma said they were surprised by the development because they wrote to all the security agencies, including the army and the Presidency, before embarking on the strike.

He said the government should avert looming chaos by stopping alleged suppression of their members and a task force put in place to enforce the strike action on the major roads.

Alaramma

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alleged multiple taxations levied on their members by the authorities and extortion by security agencies,

“We want to reiterate and assure our members across the country that our strike action is ongoing. We will never give up until our demands are met.”

When contacted, the spokesperson of the Nigerian Army, Brig.-Gen. Mohammed Yerima, said the authority was yet to receive any report on the allegations against its personnel.

DSS spokesman Peter Afunanya, confirmed to Daily Trust that the union’s leaders were at the Service headquarters for a meeting aimed at resolving the issues.

Alaramma later confirmed Tahir’s release.

The union had vowed to continue the enforcement on the blockade of foodstuffs and cattle from the southern part of the country until N475bn was paid as compensation for lives of members and property lost during the #EndSARS protest and the Shasa market crisis.