Five suspects alleged to be members of the syndicate who specialize in the diversion of granular ammonium sulphate, have been arrested by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
Granular ammonium sulphate is the key raw material in the production of fertilizer.
This was disclosed in a statement issued by the spokesman of the NSCDC, Afolabi Babawale.
The statement said the five suspects were arrested by the special intelligence squad of the commandant general.
The statement also said the diverted granular ammonium sulphate that is used in the production of fertilizer is a property of the fertilizer producers and Suppliers Association of Nigeria( FEPSAN) but was diverted, bagged, and sold by the saboteurs to unsuspected buyers and farmers at the rate of N25,900 per bag.
He said: “On the 2nd September 2023 at about 1720hrs, the commandant general’s special intelligence squad, acting on a 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 rate to the farmers in the federal government bid to sustain the national food security programme and encourage food production in the country.”
The suspects were arrested from the two separate locations and large quantity bags of different fertilizer products materials were recovered.
According to the statement, the arrested suspects are Ibrahim Muhammed, 63, Ladan Anas, 26, Umar Said Muhammed, 37, Hambale Usman, 46, and Junaid Ubale, 30.
The statement added that among the exhibit recovered from the suspects are 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) liters of knapsack spraying pump among other items.
Commandant General of the NSCDC, Dr. Ahmed Audi has ordered the immediate transfer of the five suspects and the case file to the national headquarters of the NSCDC while further investigation is ongoing.
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