The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has uncovered a fake fertiliser syndicate in Jos, Plateau State.
The corps also arrested five persons in connection with the diversion of ammonium sulphate used for the fake fertiliser and sold to unsuspecting farmers at N25,900 per bag.
This arrest came on the heels of concerns of sabotage in the fertiliser chain of distribution by notorious individuals bent on thwarting efforts of the Federal Government to reach local farmers with farm input in the state.
The Director of Public Relations, NSCDC National Headquarters, Afolabi Babawale, disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja.
Babawale said the arrest was made by the special intelligence squad of the Commandant General of the NSCDC, noting that the exhibit which is a property of Fertiliser Producers and Suppliers Association of Nigeria was diverted, bagged and sold by the saboteurs to unsuspected buyers and farmers at the rate of N25,900 per bag.
He said “On the 2nd September 2023 at about 1720hrs, the Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad, acting on credible intelligence burst two separate locations; No 3, Dogon Dutse area, Jos North and Kasuwa Kara area, Bukuru all in Jos Plateau State and succeeded in recovered large quantities of diverted bags of Granular Ammonium Sulphate.
“The product is meant to be used for the production of fertiliser and to be sold at subsidised rates to the farmers in the Federal Government’s bid to sustain the national food security programme and encourage food production in the country.
“The arrested suspects are Ibrahim Muhammed, 63; Ladan Anas, 26; Umar Said Muhammed, 37; Hambale Usman, 46; and Junaid Ubale, 30.
“Among the exhibits recovered are 740 bags of prohibited granular Ammonium sulphate, 24 bags of Urea Dangote fertilisers, 65 bags of Indorama fertilisers, 130 bags of NPK Barbados fertilisers, 29 cartons of ultrachol chemical, 109 (20) liters of knapsack spraying pump among other items”.
The Spokesperson noted that Commandant General, NSCDC, Ahmed Audi had been duly briefed and had ordered the immediate transfer of the five suspects and the case file to the national headquarters of the NSCDC while further investigations are ongoing.
