News
Despite hunger, govt officials divert 2000 bags of rice
The Department of State Services (DSS) has said that its operatives in Katsina State Command recovered 2000 bags of rice from the 20 trucks donated to the state by the Nigerian government.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the recovered rice was allegedly diverted by some Katsina State government officials.
The Nigerian government had donated the rice to alleviate the economic hardships currently affecting the country.
The DSS officials, who confirmed this development, declined to comment further and preferred to remain anonymous.
However, NAN reports that an investigation revealed that the 25kg bags of rice were stored at the Central market in Katsina, following a tip-off to the DSS on Wednesday night.
Mr. Abdulrahman Abdullahi, Chairman of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in the state, expressed shock over the incident and lamented the diversion of palliatives meant for the vulnerable.
He vowed to pursue the case to its logical conclusion and advised the government to investigate the matter thoroughly and punish those responsible.
A resident of Katsina, Suleiman Kofar-Durbi, described the situation as unfortunate, highlighting the hardships people are facing due to the current economic conditions.
He urged the government to investigate and hold the culprits accountable.
Alhaji Shehu Usman, Chairman of the Market Traders Association, revealed that the rice was brought into the market by someone who was not a trader, emphasizing the need for traders to be cautious about accepting such items for storage.
In response, Mr. Aliyu Abdullahi, Principal Private Secretary to Gov. Dikko Radda, stated that the rice was allocated to the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, by the Federal Government.
The minister had directed the Special Adviser to the Governor on Infrastructure Development, Alhaji Nasiru Lawal, to store the rice, who then decided to keep it in the market for safekeeping. The allocated rice amounted to 1,200 bags.
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s family residence in Kogi was reportedy invaded by gunmen around 1 a.m. on Tuesday, April 16, leaving damaged windows but no injuries.
The incident happened at her hometown residence in Obeiba-Ihima, located in Okehi Local Government Area of Kogi State.
Sources familiar with the event said the attackers arrived around 1:00 a.m. Armed with cutlasses and guns, they damaged parts of the building, smashing windows and causing panic in the area. At least three men were involved in the attack.
Senator Natasha’s Chief Security Officer, Yakubu Ovanja, quickly informed the appropriate security agencies.
In response, officers from the Okehi Police Division rushed to the scene.
Although nobody was hurt and no suspects have been arrested yet, security officials recorded the extent of the damage and launched a preliminary investigation.
The reason behind the attack is still unknown, and as of now, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan has not released any official statement. She represents Kogi Central in the Senate and is known as a vocal figure in Nigerian politics.
According to Zagazola Makama, police are still trying to figure out what motivated the attackers and are working to find those responsible.
The communities came under simultaneous attacks just a day after the killing of 11 persons at Otobi Community also in Otukpo LGA.
Benue has in the past decade experienced incessant attacks.
Suspected herdsmen have again stepped up violent attacks as no fewer than three communities in the Otukpo Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State were attacked on Wednesday.
The communities affected during the fresh attacks include Emichi, Odudaje, and Okpamaju all in Otukpo where five persons were killed in February. The communities came under simultaneous attacks just a day after the killing of 11 persons at Otobi Community also in Otukpo LGA.
Local sources confirm that several people may have been feared dead again in the fresh attack.
Wednesday’s attack came hours after Governor Hyacinth Alia confirmed the arrest of three suspected herders in connection with the invasion of Otobi village on Tuesday night.
When contacted, Otukpo LGA Chairman, Maxwell Ogiri, confirmed the attack on the three communities, saying that the attackers stormed the communities at the time when the Commissioner of Police was still at the Ochidoma Palace over the previous day’s attack on Otobi.
He added that three people sustained injury in the attacks on the three communities, leading to women and children abandoning the communities for fear of being killed.
“Only young men were in the communities when the attackers arrived. The prompt response from combined security operatives made the attackers flee and none of them were arrested,” Ogiri stated.
The police spokesperson in the state, Sewuese Anene, was yet to confirm details of the attacks on the three communities.
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