Troops of Forward Operations Base in Potiskum, Yobe State have arrested a 40-year-old man for attempting to smuggle recently distributed farm machineries out of the state.
Special Adviser to Yobe state Governor on Security Matters, Brigadier General Dahiru Abdulsalm, (retd), disclosed this in a statement issued to newsmen on Sunday.
The statement said the suspect, identified as Mallam Auwal Sule, was arrested in possession of 11 seed planters which he claimed to have bought from some beneficiaries of the Yobe State Government Agric Empowerment program at the rate of N40,000.00 per item at his shop in Babban Kasuwa, Potiskum.
According to SA Security Matters, the suspect further indicated that he was conveying the items to Kano for sale.
“The suspect and recovered items have been handed over to NSCDC for further action,” Abdulsalm said.
Recall that during the launching of Yobe State Mega Agricultural Empowerment Programme, Governor Mai Mala Buni warned against sabotaging government’s efforts aimed at transforming the sector.
“Let me warn in strong terms that government would not tolerate any act of sabotage to frustrate our commitments to make agriculture attractive, profitable, sustainable and economically viable and, to guarantee food sufficiency and food security in the state.
“Therefore, government would deal ruthlessly with any official, individual or group who test our will in this regard.
“I hereby direct the security agencies to arrest and impound tractors and other machines crossing the border lines of the state, while such saboteurs are made to face the full wrath of the law,” he warned.