The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano State has demanded an independent investigation into allegations that Federal Government palliative rice was improperly handled by officials of the Kano State Government.
The controversy centers around claims that rice intended as aid was diverted and misused, a charge strongly denied by the allegedly implicated officials.
The dispute began when a significant quantity of rice, branded as part of the Federal Government’s food security program was allegedly misappropriated by state officials in some parts of Nigeria.
The Kano consignment was reportedly found at a private Islamic school owned by Shehu Sagagi, the Chief of Staff to the Kano State Governor.
Sagagi has responded by asserting that the rice in question was either bought with his personal funds or donated by individuals for the school’s students, not diverted from federal aid.
Alhaji Abdullahi Abbas, the APC chairman in Kano, expressed deep concern over this issue.
Abbas criticized the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) government for what he perceives as a lack of effective action against officials allegedly involved in the diversion of aid.
He has called for a thorough and independent investigation into the matter, threatening legal action if his demands are not met.
In his statement released on Saturday, Abbas stated, “The repeated instances of palliative diversions highlight the NNPP government’s failure to hold its officials accountable.
“This failure could be seen as tacit support for these actions.”
He referred to a recent incident where bags of rice labeled as part of the Federal Government’s food security program were discovered at Sagagi’s private school, which raised serious questions about their origin and distribution.
Abbas also pointed to previous cases of alleged mismanagement of palliatives.
Last December, Tasiu Al’amin-Roba, a suspected associate of the Secretary to the State Government, Baffa Abdullahi Bichi, was reportedly arrested for repackaging and diverting rice and maize meant for public distribution.
In September of the previous year, Dr. Tukur Dayyabu Minjibir, then Managing Director of the Kano State Agricultural Supply Company (KASCO), faced suspension over claims of inappropriate sales of government-owned grains.
Abbas criticised the Kano State Government for its practice of rebranding and repackaging aid items, which were purportedly used to benefit party members rather than the general public.
He urged the state government to move beyond suspensions and investigations, stressing the need for full prosecution of those involved in these scandals to ensure justice and prevent future occurrences.
Adding to the criticism, Abbas claimed that the Kano State Government falsely took credit for federal aid intended for farmers.
He alleged that items sent by President Bola Tinubu’s administration, including 70 trucks of fertilizer, seedlings, and other supplies, were sold to farmers at inflated prices rather than distributed freely as intended.
The APC chairman lamented that despite several federal donations of grains and other aid, including 100 trucks of rice, 44 trucks of sorghum, and other provisions, the impact on the ground has been minimal.
He accused the Kano State Government of failing to effectively distribute these resources, which contributed to widespread public frustration and disillusionment, evident during the recent #EndBadGovernance protests.