In a statement issued to newsmen in Kaduna, on Thursday which was signed by the governor’s spokesman Smauel Aruwan has informed the general public that following a tip-off, an illegal fertilizer factory producing fake presidential fertilizer initiative carrying Federal Government logo has been discovered in Gwargwaji along the Zaria–Birnin Gwari in Kaduna State Security operatives have said.
The statement disclosed that the discovery of the fake fertilizer factory was as a result of a tip off which prompted members of “Operation Yaki” and the Zaria Police Area Command led by Inspector Saleh Yakubu stormed the premises of the factory on Tuesday May 2, 2017, at about 10:00 p.m .
According to the statement, three principal suspects were arrested namely: Mohammed Lawal Ashiru alias Baba Karami, Amadu Bello Suleiman and Anas Suleiman.
Exhibits recovered during the raid included a mixing/sealing machine, 226 bags of pure Indorama Urea Fertilizer, 375 bags of adulterated fertilizer with the label FGN Presidential Fertilizer Initiative carrying the logo of the Federal Government of Nigeria as well as 450 empty bags with the same logo, some reasonable quantity of sand used in the adulteration process.
Meanwhile, “the suspects and the items recovered were handed over to the Zaria Area Police Command for further investigation and that the suspects are currently assisting with investigations towards tracing more illegal factories and arresting the manufacturers while investigation into the criminal profiles of the suspects is in progress for possible prosecution.
“Governor Nasir el-Rufai’s has directed, that the matter be investigated and the suspects charged to court,” the statement concluded.