A 43-year-old man has been arrested by troops at Forward Operations Base Yobe with 19 seed-planting machines. The machines were part of the recent distribution by the state government to farmers free of charge under its Agricultural Empowerment Programme (The Punch).
This was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday in Damaturu by Brig Gen Dahiru Abdulsalam (Rtd) Special Adviser to Governor Mai Mala Buni on Security Matters.
Abdulsalam said the man was arrested at 12:10 AM on Tuesday while conveying the equipment in a bus along Potiskum to Gombe Road.
“At 00:10 AM today, troops at FOB Potiskum arrested a man with 19 seed planters” Abdulsalam said. “These items, believed to be part of Yobe State Agricultural Empowerment Programme were hidden in an 18 seater blue bus with Registration No: KTG 449 YG”
The suspect could not provide any document to prove he was a beneficiary of the programme, he claimed he bought the items.
“He had no authorization to possess or convey the equipment. He is from Jigawa State, he claimed he bought the items from Alhaji Babaji in Damaturu for N50,000 each and was taking them to Dutse, Jigawa for sale” Abdulsalam added.
The suspect and the equipment will be handed over to NSCDC for further action, Abdulsalam said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) also reported that Governor Buni had earlier directed security agencies to arrest anyone found removing the equipment from the state.
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