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The Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Agency on Tuesday sealed a warehouse stocked with rice worth over N1bn, allegedly diverted from palliative supplies meant for public distribution.
The warehouse located along Ring Road in the Nasarawa Local Government Area of the state was sealed during an operation led by the agency’s Executive Chairman, Muhuyi Rimin-Gado.
The seized bags of rice, bearing President Bola Tinubu’s image and the inscription “Ramadan Kareem”, were purportedly intended for distribution during last year’s Ramadan fast.
However, the agency uncovered that the items were being re-bagged under different brands for sale in Kano markets.
Rimin-Gado, speaking to journalists at the scene, described the act as a blatant display of corruption and vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice.
“This is a clear form of corruption because these are commodities meant for the public. Considering the hardship people are facing today, it is appalling that someone would have the audacity to re-bag and sell them,” he said.
The anti-corruption chief revealed that the agency recovered a re-bagging machine used for repackaging the rice and had arrested one suspect in connection with the diversion.
“We are here armed with a search warrant, arrest warrant, and court order. This is part of our investigative activities to recover stolen public resources,” Rimin-Gado stated.
He assured the public that a comprehensive investigation would be carried out to identify all individuals involved in the illegal activity and ensure justice is served.
“Our commitment is to uncover everyone behind this act and prevent a recurrence. For now, one suspect is in custody, and we will ensure all legal procedures are followed in dealing with this case,” he added.
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