The Kano State Police Command detained Tasiu Al’amin-Roba, a Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to Governor Abba Yusuf, and one Abdulkadir Muhammad for allegedly diverting palliatives meant for state people.
The suspects were apprehended at a warehouse in Sharada with almost 200 empty bags, according to the Commissioner of Police, Hussaini Gumel, in a phone interview on Sunday.
He stated that the suspects were allegedly repackaging rice and maize at the Sharada warehouse.
” We have since commenced intensive investigation to find out how many bags of maize or rice were repackaged and sold,” he said.
Gumel said that the two suspects would be charged to court after the conclusion of discreet investigations.
Kano State Government on Saturday uncovered a warehouse where food items meant for palliatives were being diverted in the state.
The Press Secretary, Malam Bature Dawakin-Tofa, who made this known in a statement said the warehouse was at Sharada Industrial Estate
Dawakin-Tofa said Gov. Abba Yusuf and the government officials were conducted round the isolated warehouse where the hijacked food items were kept along drum of chemicals.
The governor expressed shock and vowed to punish whoever was involved in the scandalous act of diverting the palliative food items consisting of maize and rice.
He immediately directed the commissioner of police to take over the warehouse and conduct swift investigation to fish out the culprits.
The development occurred following a tip off from some community members in Sharada who discovered suspicious movement of unknown persons around the warehouse and reported the matter to the Sharada Police Division.
While briefing Yusuf on the spot at the warehouse, one of the Sharada community leaders, Mr Rabiu Amour, said thousands of bags branded with the governor’s portrait and designed as palliatives were discovered to be re-bagged.
“We know these food items are meant to be distributed to less privileged people, therefore we decided to blow the whistle.
”This is our contribution to the good efforts of the governor; he is trying his best to help the downtrodden but some people within the system are sabotaging his effort,” he said.