The Federal government may have agreed to pay the Amalgamated Union of Foodstuffs and Cattle Dealers in Nigeria (AUFCDN) monetary compensation as the union agrees to resume supply of farm produce to the South.
If claims being made by the union is anything credible, the Federal government may have to part with a whopping sum of N4.75billion to assuage the northern traders.
President of the AUFCDN, Muhammad Tahir, disclosed this in Abuja after a meeting with the Federal authorities, represented by Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello.
“All stakeholders and members of AUFCDN in our nationwide strike are glad we achieved what we wanted to achieve. Since Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, begged us on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria, we agreed to call off the nationwide strike today.
“They agreed to pay the compensation and call off multiple taxation on the federal highways and allow us to engage in our business activities peacefully nationwide,” Tahir said.
Tahir further said that Aso Villa agreed to ensure protection of its members, stop multiple taxation and intimidation by security agents on the roads.
Other demands presented by Bello before the government through the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, includes the protection of the union’s members and the ability to withdraw its services from states in case of an attack.
The union had initiated an indefinite strike a couple of days ago, to protest the loss of lives and properties in the region owing to insecurity.
This follows the violent ethnic clashes witnessed recently between the Fulani and Yorubas in Shasha market in Ibadan, Oyo State and other parts of the Southwest.
Last week, multiple reports said that trailers full of cows, tomatoes, and other farm produce were reportedly prevented from leaving a border town in Niger State to the Southern part of the country.
It is not yet clear what the Federal authorities are doing to address the complaints of farmers who have continually accused herders of destroying their farmland and crops.