Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have arrested several individuals involved in diverting 1,200 bags of rice intended for vulnerable households in Katsina State.
DSS spokesman, Peter Afunanya, disclosed this at a press briefing in Abuja.
Beyond the rice, the suspects who the Afunanya described as ‘saboteurs’ also diverted 48 bags of rice kits.
The spokesperson also reported arrests related to oil theft, kidnapping, terrorism, and other crimes in July, alongside the seizure of various weapons.
There has been public concern over the theft and diversion of government-bought rice meant to succour poor families as Nigeria grapples with serious economic challenges.
In Kogi State, rice distributed by President Bola Tinubu’s administration was found being repackaged for sale, despite being marked “not for sale.”
Residents expressed frustration over these fraudulent practices amid rising living costs.
Mr. Abdulrahman Abdullahi, Chairman of Civil Society Organisations in Katsina, had called for a thorough investigation and accountability for the diverted rice, found stored in Katsina’s Central Market.
The federal government had distributed 20 trucks of rice to each state as an intervention to tackle food inflation.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), some Katsina State government officials are alleged to have diverted the bags of rice.
NAN reports that an investigation revealed the 25kg bags of rice were found at the Central Market in Katsina, following a tip-off to the DSS.
Chairman of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), Abdulrahman Abdullahi, in the state, expressed his dismay over the incident, criticising the diversion of aid meant for vulnerable populations.
Chairman of the Market Traders Association, Alhaji Shehu Usman, noted that the rice was brought into the market by someone who was not a trader and stressed the importance of traders being cautious about accepting such items for storage.
In response, Aliyu Abdullahi, Principal Private Secretary to Governor Dikko Radda, clarified that the rice had been allocated to the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, by the Federal Government.
The minister had instructed the Special Adviser to the Governor on Infrastructure Development, Alhaji Nasiru Lawal, to store the rice, which was subsequently placed in the market for safekeeping.
