Operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Yobe State have intercepted two government-owned tractors allegedly being smuggled out of the state for illegal sale.
The security intelligence in the North East region, Zagazola Makama, who confirmed in his statement, that the tractors, part of Governor Mai Mala Buni’s agricultural support programme, were reportedly diverted by officials who have long been suspected of selling government-owned farm machinery to neighbouring states.
It was gathered that the latest incident occurred on October 22 when NSCDC personnel intercepted two tractors being moved from an estate along the bypass in Damaturu and headed towards the Nayinawa axis, allegedly en route out of the state.
A security source said that the tractors bore clear government insignia, leaving no doubt about their ownership.
However, more than one month after the interception, no official from the Ministry of Agriculture, including the Commissioner, Permanent Secretary or any departmental director, has stepped forward to officially claim the machinery or explain the circumstances surrounding the attempted diversion.
“These tractors carry bold government identification. Despite that, no authorised official has come to claim them or provide documentation. Instead, we have seen strong behind-the-scenes pressure to release them quietly,” the source said.
According to the source, the NSCDC officer who made the arrest insisted that all parties involved must appear to provide explanations before the tractors could be released. His refusal to bow to pressure allegedly angered influential interests both within the Corps and in the state bureaucracy.
Zagazola gathered that the officer was subsequently transferred out of Yobe State in what insiders described as an attempt to “bury the case and silence resistance”.
A senior agricultural stakeholder, who pleaded anonymity, said: “This is pure economic sabotage. These tractors were procured to support farmers and strengthen food security, diverting them for personal gain is not just theft, it is an attack on the state’s development.”
He also described as an “internal sabotage network” within the State Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
According to the report the tractors remain in NSCDC custody pending official claim and clarifications. Both the NSCDC and the Ministry of Agriculture have not issued public statements on the development as at the time of filing this report.
It would be recalled that this was not the first diversion of agricultural machinery under the state’s empowerment scheme. Some tractors were reportedly smuggled and sold in a neighbouring state months earlier, with no internal accountability action taken.
The diversion of the tractors undermines Buni’s vision of strengthening mechanised farming, boosting food production and mitigating food shortages in Yobe.