Brigade Commander arrested for alleged rice diversion, vehicle sales
Brigadier General M.A. Sadiq, commander of the 3 Brigade in Kano, has been detained in a military police guardroom in Abuja due to allegations of diverting rice palliatives and selling military equipment, including generator sets and operational vehicles, to scrap yards.
Sources speaking to newsmen on the condition of anonymity revealed that the Nigerian Defence Headquarters provided rice to brigades nationwide for distribution to soldiers as palliatives. It has been reported that the Defence Headquarters distributed rice on at least three occasions, as recorded in the nominal roll.
However, the embattled general reportedly distributed only 5kg bags of rice once to the soldiers and sold the remaining supplies.
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In addition to the rice scandal, it was learnt that Brigadier General Sadiq also unlawfully took equipment, including a MIKANO heavy-duty generator, from the Military Training Camp in Falgore, Kano, and sold it to metal scrap dealers.
Reports also confirmed that Brigadier General Sadiq has been replaced by Brigadier General A.M. Tukur, a former registrar of the Nigerian Defence Academy.
“Following these allegations, Brigadier General Sadiq has been detained in a guardroom and is currently undergoing interrogation by the special investigation branch of military police in Abuja. He was initially invited to Abuja for questioning, where he was subsequently ordered to be confined,” a source reported.
“Mounting allegations have emerged against him. Brigadier General A.M. Tukur, who previously served as the Registrar of the Nigerian Defence Academy, has been appointed to take over the brigade. Full-scale investigations are underway, and Sadiq may face charges at a court-martial.”
At the time of this report, the Nigerian Army spokesman, Major-General Onyema Nwachukwu, did not respond to calls or messages sent to his known number.
Proofreading by Uchechi Ojo, Sub-editor at Neptune Prime.
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