Ilorin
Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has directed the immediate suspension of all officials named in alleged extortion of farmers in the state Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
The officials were said to have done the act through the sale of unauthorised registration forms.
Rafiu Ajakaye, the spokesman to the Governor said in a statement on Wednesday in Ilorin disclosed this in a statement in Ilorin on Wednesday.
Ajakaye quoted the governor as calling on the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) to probe the case.
The governot said that at no time did the state government approve the sale of any form for the registeration of farmers,adding that the administration found it strange that some officials could do such a thing to poor farmers.
“In the light of the development, we wish to state the following:That neither the Governor nor the Honourable Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, at any time, approved the sale of forms to anyone, including farmers, in the guise of whatever scheme or census for farmers.
“That preliminary in-house findings have been made and they suggested clear wrongdoings.
That the Head of Service has accordingly been directed to suspend all the affected officials, including the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry. This is to send the signal that such misconduct will not be condoned by the Governor.
“That we call on the EFCC to immediately step in to investigate and prosecute anyone found guilty of ripping off the poor farmers, thus making it clear that his administration will never tolerate such behaviours under whatever guise.
“Government will ensure the refund of the money of the victim-farmers who would be requested to bring forward the said forms that they purchased to claim their refund.
The government sincerely regrets this embarrassing behaviour of the affected officials and apologises to the affected farmers.”
