The Jigawa State Consumer Protection Committee, JSCPC, has decried the emergence of fake middlemen in major markets in the state.
The committee Chairman, Farouk Abdallah, made the observation in an interview in Dutse on Monday.
Mr Abdallah said that the committee had recorded two cases in Gujungu and Maigatari International Markets in Taura and Maigatari local government areas where such fake middlemen defrauded two buyers of N750,000 and 730,000.
“We noticed with dismay the high influx of fake middlemen in our markets, particularly the major markets.
“The first defrauded one of the victims, who came to buy grains in Maigatari International market, the sum of N730,000 by selling 65 sacks of grains which did not belong to him.
“The second one was in Gujungu market where the fake middleman defrauded a buyer the sum of N750,000 by selling 65 sacks of grains to him which did not belong to him.
“These fake middlemen usually parade themselves as owners of grains in these markets and act as quickly as possible to cheat buyers of their money,” Mr Abdallah decried.
He, however, said that the committee was able to apprehend that of Maigatari market, adding that he had already been handed over to the police in the area for further action.
The chairman urged traders and grain dealers in the state to cooperate with the committee, to bring such fake middlemen to book.
“Traders in these major markets and beyond,” he said “should cooperate with us by exposing such bad people so that we will apprehend them and make them face the full wrath of the law.
“This is to enable us to sanitise all commercial activities in the state by making sure that people were not cheated by such bad elements in the society.”
According to him, the committee will not relent in its efforts to ensure that dubious elements among traders/buyers were fished out and punished.
NAN
