Five suspects accused of diverting granular ammonium sulphate, the key raw material for the production of fertilizer have been arrested in Jos, the Plateau State capital.
This was made known by the spokesman of the NSCDC, Afolabi Babawale, in a statement made available to journalists.
He said the syndicate was arrested by the special intelligence squad of the commandant general.
The suspects allegedly diverted the granular ammonium sulphate belonging to the Fertilizer Producers and Suppliers Association of Nigeria (FEPSAN).
He identified the suspects as Ibrahim Muhammed, 63, Ladan Anas, 26, Umar Said Muhammed, 37, Hambale Usman, 46 and Junaid Ubale, 30.
Babawale said the saboteurs diverted, bagged and sold the product to unsuspected buyers and farmers at the rate of N25,900 per bag.
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He said, “On the 2nd of 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 recovering large quantities of diverted bags of Granular Ammonium Sulphate (GAS). The products are meant to be used for the production of fertilizer and to be sold at subsidized rates to farmers in the federal government bid to sustain the national food security programme and encourage food production in the country.”
Additionally, Babawale explained that five suspects were arrested from the two separate locations and large bags of different fertilizer products materials were recovered.
740 bags of prohibited granular ammonium sulphate, 24 bags of Urea Dangote fertilizers, 65 bags of indorama fertilizers, 130 bags of NPK Barbados fertilizers, 29 cartons of ultrachol chemical, 109 (20) litres of knapsack spraying pump were among the exhibits recovered.
Babawale also disclosed that the Commandant General of the NSCDC, Dr. Ahmed Audi has been duly briefed and has ordered the immediate transfer of the five suspects and the case file sent to the national headquarters of the NSCDC while further investigation is ongoing.