The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has apprehended five suspects, alleged to be members of a syndicate specialized in the diversion of granular ammonium sulphate, the key raw material for the production of fertilizer.
A statement on Wednesday by the spokesman of the NSCDC, Afolabi Babawale disclosed that the five suspects were arrested by the special intelligence squad of the commandant general.
He noted that the diverted granular ammonium sulphate 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 of September, 2023 at about 1720hrs, the commandant general’s special intelligence squad, acting on 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 rates to farmers in the federal government bid to sustain the national food security programme and encourage food production in the country.”
He further explained that five suspects were arrested from the two separate locations and large bags of different fertilizer products materials were recovered.
He disclosed that the arrested suspects are Ibrahim Muhammed, 63, Ladan Anas, 26, Umar Said Muhammed, 37, Hambale Usman, 46 and Junaid Ubale, 30, adding that among the exhibit recovered 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) litres of knapsack spraying pump among other items.
Babawale also disclosed that the Commandant General of the NSCDC, Dr. Ahmed Audi has been duly briefed and has ordered the immediate transfer of the five suspects and the case file sent to the national headquarters of the NSCDC while further investigation is ongoing.
