Governor Abba Yusuf has uncovered a warehouse in Sharada Industrial Estate of the state, where food items meant for palliatives were diverted.
Leading government officials and journalists to the isolated warehouse, Governor Yusuf went round the facility where supposed hijacked food items were kept amid drum of chemicals.
The governor expressed shock and vowed to punish whoever is involved in the scandalous act of diverting the palliatives consisting of maize and rice.
He immediately directed the Commissioner of Police (CP) to take over the warehouse and conduct swift investigation to fish out the culprits.
The discovery followed a tip-off by some members of Sharada community, who discovered suspicious movements around the warehouse.
A community leader, Rabiu Amour, said thousands of bags branded with the governor’s portrait as palliatives were discovered being re-bagged.
“We know these food items are meant to be distributed to less privileged; therefore, we decided to blow the whistle. This is our contribution to the efforts of the governor to help the downtrodden. But some people within the system are sabotaging him,” he stated.
After the inspection, on the governor’s directive, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Danjuma Mahmoud, told journalists that government discovered an isolated warehouse, where released palliatives had been diverted, adding that investigation commenced immediately.
The commissioner confirmed that two suspects had been handed over to the police in connection with the diversion, but declined to reveal their identity.
He said: “After the official unveiling of distribution of food items meant for the less privileged as palliatives to the crushing impact of fuel subsidy removal, the government later set aside another large portion of the palliatives, specifically for people with special needs in the society.
“Incidentally, the government discovered that several bags of these food items had been hijacked and diverted to a warehouse in Sharada Industrial Estate, where intelligent reports revealed that those food items are being re-bagged to be sold in the market.”
But the state police command has confirmed arrest of one Tasiu Al’amin Roba, a Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the Governor, attached to Office of the Secretary to the State Government (OSSG) and other person named Abdulkadir Muhammad, who are already in police custody over the matter.
Following the governor’s directive, the suspects are expected to be transferred to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for further investigation.
