The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in Sokoto has said
it has arrested the Chairman of Rice Farmers’ Association of
Nigeria, Gummi Local Government Area chapter, Zamfara State,
Ibrahim Rijiya, for alleged diversion of fertiliser and
herbicide.
The storekeeper of the council, Aminu Musa, and one Abdullahi
Bashir were also arrested in connection with the alleged
diversion.
They were said to have criminally diverted three trucks of 1,800
bags of fertiliser and a truckload of herbicide meant for rice
farmers in Gummi.
Rijiya , who is also the District Head of Rijiya Gummi, Gummi
LGA, was said to have sold each bag of fertiliser for N3,000.
Acting spokesman for the EFCC, Tony Orilade, said in a statement
on Wednesday the arrest of the suspects followed a petition by rice
farmers in the area.
Representatives of seven different groups of rice farmers had
alleged that in July 2018, the Federal Government approved and
disbursed 12 trucks of fertiliser and herbicide to 83 cooperative
societies in Gummi, adding that no member of the association
received the items as approved by the government.
Also, efforts by the Gummi chapter of RIFAN to get the items
back reportedly failed.
EFCC investigations, however, revealed that Rijiya allegedly
conspired with Musa to divert and sell the fertiliser and herbicide
to Bashir for N17.1m.
Orilade said, “The suspects confessed to their roles in the
crime while the three trucks of the fertiliser have been recovered
from them. Efforts are on to recover the diverted herbicide. They
will soon be arraigned.”
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