Daily Trust - the online edition

The Kano State Police Command has stopped a planned rally and prayer session organised by a group in the state against the soaring food prices and global food insecurity.

Prices of food in Kano State have in the last two weeks doubled in all markets in the state.

This, according to our findings, has led to massive influx of people from the rural areas into the city in search of what to do to buy food.

Daily Trust reports that there is massive hoarding of grains in most parts of the state due to an increasing demand by people coming to Kano from across the country and neighbouring countries of Niger, Mali, Ghana and Senegal in search of foodstuffs.

Organizers of the prayer and rally session could not be identified as at the time of going to press, but pamphlets distributed on the streets of Kano only called on Muslim faithfuls to gather at the Kofar Mata Eid praying ground by 8 am on Friday for prayers against the situation.

The pamphlets, however, bore no names of the organization responsible for the proposed rally.

But the police in a statement in Kano yesterday by the state’s police commissioner, Mr Muhammed Yesufu, said the grand prayer could cause insecurity to lives and properties, hence the decision to stop it.

"Our attention has been drawn to an unsigned leaflet circulating in the state calling on people to attend a grand prayer at the Eid Mosque in Kofar Mata on Friday to pray against the hardship being experienced by the masses. The command wishes to note that such type of organised prayers usually end up being hijacked by hoodlums", it stated.

The police commissioner further added that the police cannot allow any action that could end in chaos with the possible consequences of a breakdown of law and order.

"We could recall that similar organised prayers in the state some years ago ended in crisis", he said.

Yesufu also said intelligent reports available to the command suggested that some group of persons have perfected plans to mobilise miscreants to unleash mayhem and wanton destruction on innocent citizens and their property to give the impression that there exists a state of insecurity in the state.

	1. 30-04-2008 17:38
	Kano wahala This wahala people should stop looking at religion as secret means to go and loot Igbo people's shops ooo!!! Enough is enough! The hunger and soaring food prices is everywhere and not in Kano alone! Guest

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	2. 30-04-2008 15:16
	RICE IMPORTATION Its unfortunate that the news on global food shortage had be aired in the last 2months,which was ackowledged by the finance minister.It is now d GOVT. deem its necessary to act,when are we getg d rice on our tables when raining season is around d corner.Serious GOVT. like d Niger authourities had taken necessary measures since febuary 08.This import will just be a repeat of the cement importation, dat very few people are in riched by govt. policy at the expens of the public. Guest

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	3. 30-04-2008 13:56
	kano what a pity kano is full of illitrates who love their religion but they dont even undastand the religion. this riot is so clear that kano has useless leaders who are making this so called religion what its not. that riot is clearly planned against igbos. nonsense Guest

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	4. 30-04-2008 13:32
	Mr. Rice importation is a short term solution-just like bandage over deep wounds. Unless there is a serious plan to use just half of this amount to boost our own mechanized rice production, our future import would tripple the present amount. The fact that we import rice from Thailand is an indictment of our past leadership not just OBJ. Hopefully Y'Adua will direct our resorces towards self reliance in food production.  Dan Okobi Guest

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	5. 30-04-2008 13:23
	The Planned Kano Rally As usual the Kano rally is not for high cost of food items but a means to unleash on the Igbos community and loot their stores. Kano is becoming a war front due to corruption, religious fanataism, Greed, unemployment, envy and jealousy, lack of education of the youths and Elite selfishness. Guest

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	6. 30-04-2008 10:06
	FG TO IMPORT RICE SOON it\'s indded a wise decision and at stipulated time, Yar adua you are right may Allah gives you more time and good health to take the country to the promise land. If this rice got into the country, even the price of other commodities will come down not even the rice it self. So it is welcome and wise decision for the country.  For us living outside the country we feel so sorry for the masses of what is expected to happen in future if such measures are not taken. BRAVO YAR\'ADUA Guest

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