Fraud: EFCC To Arraign Zamfara Monarch For Allegedly Diverting 1,800 Bags Of Fertilizer, Others

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in Sokoto has arrested the Chairman of Rice Farmers’ Association of Nigeria, Gummi Local Government Area chapter, Zamfara State, Ibrahim Rijiya for alleged diversion of 1,800 bags of fertiliser and a truckload of herbicide meant for rice farmers in Gummi.

The EFCC arrested the storekeeper of the council, Aminu Musa, and one Abdullahi Bashir for the alleged diversion.

Prior to the arrest Rijiya, who is also the District Head of Rijiya Gummi, Gummi LGA and his cohorts were said to have criminally diverted three trucks and sold each bag for N3,000.

According to a statement from the council, The Acting spokesman for the  EFCC, Tony Orilade, stated on Wednesday that 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.”