- Over 200 bags of grains diverted, rebagged
- SSA to Governor, one other in police net
The Cabinet office, under the supervision of Secretary to Kano State Government is under investigation over palliative scandal involving officials in the cabinet.
The probe follows the uncovering of about 200 bags of grains believed to have been hijacked and diverted to a warehouse at Sharada industrial estate in the state.
Leading government officials and journalists to the isolated warehouse, Governor Yusuf expressed shock while being conducted round the facility where the food items were stocked alongside drums of chemicals.
At the warehouse, empty bags of customized 10kg rice and maize branded with Governor Abba’s picture were seen littered around the warehouse. The uncovering follows a tip from community who raised alarm over the suspicious movements of unknown people diverting the food items into the warehouse.
Governor Yusuf who ordered immediate seal of the warehouse directed the Commissioner of Police to take over the warehouse and conduct swift investigation to fish out all suspects involved.
Briefing the Governor on the spot at the warehouse, one of the Sharada community leader Mr. Rabiu Amour said thousands of branded bags of grains designed as palliatives were seen diverted into the warehouse while unbranded bags were being transported out of the same place.
“We know these food items are meant to be distributed to less privileged people, therefore we decided to make a whistle blow. This is our contribution to the good efforts of the Governor, he is trying his best to help the downtrodden but some people within the system are sabotaging him.”\
Addressing journalists as directed by Governor Yusuf, the state Commissioner for Agriculture, Danjuma Mahmoud told journalists that government has discovered an isolated warehouse where released palliatives have been diverted, said investigation has commenced immediately.
Although, the Agric Commissioner disclosed that investigation will further reveal the magnitude of quantity hijacked and diverted to the warehouse, he said the food items are being rebagged and re-sold in the market.
He said the specific portion of the Rice and Maize being hijacked and diverted to the warehouse are meant to be distributed to people with physical challenge and widows of armed forces and other security agencies in Kano.
While the commissioner declined to reveal the identity of the culprits, he confirmed that two suspects have been handed over to the police in connection with the crime. He said government has set up investigation team to unravel the root course of the development.
” You will recall that after the official unveiling of distribution of food items meant for the less privilege as palliatives to crushing the impact of fuel subsidy removal, the government later set aside another large portion of the palliatives specifically to be distributed to people with special needs like in the society.
“Besides people with special needs, the last round of palliatives were also meant for families and widows of members of the Armed forces, the Army, Navy, Airforce, police, and that of the sister agencies like Immigration, Prison services, Customs, Civilians defence, Road safety, Hisbah Vigilante.
“Incidentally, the government discovered that several bags of these food items have been hijacked and diverted to a warehouse in Sharada industrial estate where intelligent reports revealed that those food items are being rebagged and to be sold in the market”. The commissioner said.
Meanwhile, Kano State Police command has confirmed the 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 and other person named Abdulkadir Muhammad in connection with the palliative scandal.
A credible source at the command told The Guardian that the two suspected working directly with the SSG, Dr. Abdullahi Bichi have been transfered to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on the authority of the government.
Governor Yusuf recently set up a strong Compliance Committee for Palliatives Distribution headed by the Secretary to the State Government and the his Chief of Staff with six other relevant commissioners as members to ensure that all palliative items get to the right beneficiaries.
While inaugurating the committee, Governor Yusuf emphasized that no political appointee under his government or senior civil servants should benefit from the palliatives as it is meant to be distributed strictly to less privileged persons in the state.
The ugly development may have brought the credibility of those entrusted to manage the palliative under test just as a source familiar with the development revealed possible connivance among the managers of the system.
Although, there was no official source at the Cabinet Office willing to react to the development, an anonymous source in the office of the SSG told The Guardian that the diversion story was rather being orchestrated to tarnish the credibility of the SSG.
According to the anonymous source, one of the suspects arrested in connection to the alleged diversion was the main supplier of the grains who deliberately made surplus supply with the intention of meeting government demands. He said the supplier only decided to retrive the leftovers after meeting government demand when he was intercepted and accused of theft.
Although, the source did not explain how he got the multi-billion naira contract to supply the palliatives as political appointee, he however exonerated the SSG of any involvement in the supposed scandal. He equally blamed the alleged supplier for chosen an isolated warehouse to re-bag the purported surplus.
