Kano — The warning strike embarked upon last week by cattle and foodstuff traders in protest against what they described as "multiple tax" collected from them by various local council revenue personnel on the federal highways has been suspended.

The traders under the aegis of Amalgamated Foodstuff and Cattle Traders Association of Nigeria however said they would go on an indefinite strike in two weeks time if the authorities concerned failed to check the "continued injustice against their members" on the highways while transporting their goods and animals to the South.

Giving an up-date on the situation, association's Secretary-General Alhaji Kabiru Alhassan Rurum, who announced the suspension of the one-week warning strike when he visited Media Trust's Kano regional office yesterday, said they were deeply touched by the escalating cost of foodstuff and animals in the South following the strike.

He said the strike became necessary given the "illegal activities" of the council revenue officials on the federal highways, saying their action would strengthen the trade and make government to intervene for permanent resolution.

"We are really disturbed by the situation in the south where tomatoes, meat and other foodstuff supplied from the north are costly because of the warning strike. The strike was not to punish the people unnecessary, but only to strengthen the trade and stop the injustice", he said.

The secretary-general expressed regrets that throughout the period of the warning strike that lasted for one week there was no response from the Federal Government signifying its intention to intervene with a view to resolving the crisis. He said only Lagos State government responded,saying its Commissioner for Home Affairs met with their members and assured them that his government would do something to resolve the misunderstanding.

While calling on the Federal Government and other concerned state governments to look into the problems of the traders, the Secretary-General thanked all members of the association for their cooperation during the warning strike.