Ibadan market raid: Rice merchants need not bribe customs officials ― Babaloja-General

The Babaloja-General of Oyo State, Alhaji Sunmaila Aderemi Jimoh, has faulted a statement made by a representative of traders at the markets recently raided by men of the Nigerian Customs on a radio programme that failure of Ibadan rice sellers to fulfil obligations to officers of the Nigerian Customs was responsible for the persistent invasion of markets.

Speaking with journalists in Ibadan, on Monday, Alhaji Jimoh, who also is the Babaloja-General of the 11 local government councils in Ibadanland, President of Oyo State Market Men and Women and Babaloja-General of Bodija International Market, described the statement as reckless and unjust.

“I received several calls from traders, colleagues, family and friends who got disturbed by the utterances of the man who featured on a radio programme. Fortunately, I also listened to the same programme in which one of the discussants made a reckless statement not expected from a responsible person, especially on air, more so that he claimed to be representing traders.

“I wouldn’t know if the man who anchored the programme asked of the personal data or has visited the shop of the man he picked to speak on behalf of traders. On the other hand, let’s assumed he forced his way in while the programme was on, the person anchoring the programme ought to have asked for his full details including shop name, number and the market where his shop located considering the sensitivity of the statement made by him. Which association does he belong to? Who authorised him to speak on behalf of traders, or rice sellers?

“As of today I am one of the rice sellers in Oyo State, Ibadan in particular, besides, I remain the authentic Babaloja-General of Oyo State, Babaloja-General for the 11 local government councils in Ibadanland, by virtue of my previous positions and the authority that installed me as Babaloja-General of Oyo State, all markets in Ibadan are within my jurisdiction; with all these credentials I was never invited to speak for my people and the business I invested so much on,” Babaloja-General lamented.

“We are not importers of rice, so, how come we would be thinking of settling officers of the Nigerian Customs. We buy our goods here in Nigeria, from major dealers and sell in retail. How rice get to Nigeria is not of our concern, so what would have warranted settling customs officers with our hard-earned money? Alhaji Jimoh questioned.

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FULL TEXT: A viral post on WhatsApp is asking N-Power candidates to verify the status of their application and see if they have been shortlisted for the batch C cash grant…Ibadan market raid: Rice merchants need not bribe customs officials ― Babaloja-General

Ibadan market raid: Rice merchants need not bribe customs officials ― Babaloja-General