Agric staff link to silos' looting

A staff of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security ( FMAFS) Mr. Ajoke Suliaman has alleged that some internal officers were involved in the vandalization and carting away of valuable items in the silos facilities across the country during the EndSARS crisis in 2020.

Mr. Ajoke Suliaman in a fresh revelation during stakeholders media dialogue with the FMAFS official has said that some staff of the ministry were involved in the fraudulent act during the 2020 EndSARS looting.

Speaking during the event Ajoke while reflecting on challenges faced by the ministry in previous years and the lessons learned from the crisis.

He pointed that several state offices of the ministry together with the facilities housing agricultural inputs meant for farmers were vandalized and carted away saying that some of the ministry's officers had their hands in them.

Significant quantities of fertilizers, seeds, agrochemicals, and other farm support materials were reportedly lost during the attacks, Suliaman said.

The official further alleged that certain staff members who were aware of the locations and contents in the storage facilities had shared the information with individuals outside the ministry thereby easily helping the evil doers to easily perpetuate the looting.

Suliaman stated he was among the accessement committee that investigated the losses recorded during the period which findings revealed insiders' participation through the leaked information about the stored contents and their locations.

He further stated that " the ministry has learned lessons from the events of 2020. There are now stronger system for monitoring agricultural commodities, better accountability structures, and improved coordination between headquarters and state offices"