Troops of the Forward Operating Base in Potiskum, Yobe State have arrested a suspect for smuggling farm machinery and input out of the state.
Disclosing this in a statement on Tuesday, the Special Adviser on Security Matters to the Yobe State Governor, Dahiru Abdulsalam said the agricultural items were concealed in a blue coloured 18-seater bus with registration number KTY 449 YG along Potiskum-Gombe road in the state.
He said the suspect who hails from Jigawa State, does not have any allocation letter for the items.
On interrogation, the suspect revealed that he bought the items from one Alhaji Babaji in Damaturu the Yobe state capital at the cost of ₦50,000 each.
“Today, at about 00:10 AM, troops of FOB Potiskum arrested a man in possession of 19 seed planters.
“The items which are suspected to have been issued for the Yobe State Agricultural Empowerment Programme were concealed in a blue coloured 18-seater bus with Registration No: KTG 449 YG,” Abdulsalam said.
Abdulsalam said the suspect could not provide any proof to show that he was a beneficiary of the programme.
He stated that the suspect and the items had been handed over to the Yobe State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corp (NSCDC) for further action.
See the full statement below:
ARREST OF SUSPECT WITH YOBE STATE AGRICULTURAL EMPOWERMENT IMPLEMENTS
Today, 27th August 2024 @ about 00:10 AM, troops of FOB Potiskum deployed along Potiskum – Gombe Road arrested one Mallam Isah Ibrahim (aged 43 years) in possession of 19 x seed planters.
The items which are suspected to have been issued for Yobe State Agricultural Empowerment Programme were concealed in a blue-coloured 18-seater bus with Registration No: KTG 449 YG.
The owner of the items had no letter of authority to issue the items to him or anyone else. The suspect who hails from Jigawa State claimed that he bought the items from one Alhaji Babaji with phone number 08032837370 in Damaturu at the rate of N50,000.00 each.
He stated that he was conveying the items to resell in Dutse, Jigawa State.
The suspect and recovered items are in the custody of FOB Potiskum and are to be handed over to NSCDC for further action.
