Operatives of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission have arrested officials of the North-East Commodity Association for alleged N2.10bn procurement fraud.
Northern City News gathered in Yola on Tuesday that the ICPC operatives stormed the association’s headquarters in Yola, the Adamawa State capital, late on Monday.
The anti-graft agency is investigating allegations that officials of the association, some of whom were taken into custody, perpetrated the fraud during the purchase of 600 tractors.
A warehouse, which was said to contain over 100 tractors, was also sealed off by the ICPC operatives.
A source in the association, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on the issue, claimed that the state chairman of the body was among those arrested and detained by the ICPC.
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He said, “The commission, during the operation, arrested the official and three warehouses in Bachure and Bekaji in Yola, which were linked to him, were searched.
“After the search, the warehouses were found to contain 164,000 bags of maize; 412,401 bags of sorghum; 698 bags of rice and 508 bags of fertilizer and other commodities valued at N2.10bn.”
When contacted, the state Commissioner of the ICPC, Mr Idris Bakori, refused to comment on the matter, insisting that the issue was still under investigation.
The Federal Government had assisted the association to acquire 600 tractors and farm inputs for distribution to farmers in the North-East region.
However, communities and farmers, who were supposed to benefit from the programme, complained of the diversion of the items and called for the government’s intervention. [PUNCH]
