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N2.1-Billion Fraud: ICPC Arrests North-East Commodity Officials

September 18, 2019

A source in the association, claimed that the
state chairman of the body was among those arrested and detained by
the ICPC.

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Some officials of the North-East Commodity Association are currently
in the net of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related
Offences Commission (ICPC) over alleged N2.10-billion procurement
fraud.

The officials are accused of siphoning the money meant for the
purchase of 600 tractors.

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.

Operatives of ICPC stormed the association’s headquarters in Yola, the
Adamawa State capital, late on Monday to carry out the arrest.

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 to Punch, claimed that the
state chairman of the body was among those arrested and detained by
the ICPC.

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.”

Topics
Corruption