Police arrest 4 for diverting rice meant for IDPs

dimeji akinloye

September 24, 2016 8:20 PM

The police spokesman said the suspects were arrested after they offered to sell the commodity to one of the prominent persons in the state.

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The Katsina Police Command on Saturday said it has arrested four persons for allegedly diverting tonnes of rice meant for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the North East Zone.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, DSP Salisu Agaisa, told newsmen in Katsina that the suspects has claimed to be customs agents.

It would be recalled that the Federal Government had directed the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to distribute rice it seized from smugglers to the various IDPs camps.

“One of the suspects had called the prominent person through a mobile phone that they have five trucks of the diverted rice for sale.

“Our investigation also shows that the suspects had concluded arrangement to sell a bag of rice to that person at the rate of N12, 500 per bag,’’ he said.

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Agaisa said the suspects were later arrested at Liyafa Palace Hotel in Katsina where they had lodged for 21 days.

He said the suspects would be prosecuted after investigations were completed.

dimeji akinloye