Police arrest Ekiti officials over cow theft
From Ifedayo Sayo, Ado-Ekiti

THREE principal officials of the recently resuscitated Ikun Dairy Farm, Ikun-Ekiti, Ekiti State, have been arrested by the state Police Command over illegal sale of some cows bought by the state government for the farm.



http://odili.net/news/source/2010/jan/19/16.html

The cows, which were brought from South Africa sometime last year as part of the plans to resuscitate the ailing farm, were allegedly sold by the acting Managing Director of the farm, Wole Adedipe, in collaboration with his deputy, Segun Omotunde, the Chief Security Officer (CSO) and five others.

Confirming the development yesterday, Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, George Akawa, said the suspects allegedly sold live cows at N30,000 each and dead ones for N20,000.

Akawa said the illegal sale was first discovered by the residents of Ikun community who reported the matter to their traditional ruler, Onikun of Ikun, Oba Adeleye Awojobi.

The monarch promptly set up a surveillance team to investigate the allegation and monitor the officials involved.

The surveillance team allegedly discovered the allegation to be true. Consequently, the monarch alerted the state government on the development.

The principal officials were later allegedly caught selling four cows to some unidentified people who brought a pick-up van to take delivery of the cows. Residents of the community, who had mounted surveillance at the farm, arrested the buyers and took them to the Onikun's palace.

Akawa expressed concern that the population of the cows had been depleted through alleged illegal sales by the farm officials, adding that the illegal sale of the cows had been on for long before it was discovered.

His words: "I'm aware that the government imported over 700 cows and goats for the farm. When I assumed office in August 2009 as the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, I visited the farm, but to my surprise, I met only 339 cows, which were physically counted by me alongside the management team.

"It is sad to say that information at my disposal as at last week showed that only 290 cows are remaining in the farm. The dairy farm, which was shut down for 29 years, was re-opened by the state government in January 2009 with 700 cows imported from South Africa at the cost of several millions of naira, only for people we entrusted with the place to engage in illegal sale of the cows.

"We were told that they were selling each live cow at N30,000 and dead ones for N20,000. This is sabotage. Government is determined to apprehend all the culprits and bring them to book.

"The acting managing director of the farm, his deputy, CSO and some other members of staff, including some buyers of the cows, are now being detained by the police at their headquarters in Ado-Ekiti in connection with the illegal sale of the cows".

Spokesman for the state Police Command, ASP Mohammed Jimoh, confirmed the arrest of the suspects, saying the command had initiated full investigations into the allegation.

Speaking on the development, Governor Segun Oni noted: "They have been making desperate efforts to get the cows killed even before now, but they did not succeed. Now, I believe that they have connived with some of the workers in the diary to commit the evil act, but I can assure you that anyone of them found culpable will go to jail.

"I don't know the problem of this people. I don't know why they are out to sabotage a genuine and sincere attempt to improve the socio-economic development of the state and uplift the lives of the people whom they claimed they are out to serve.

"I know that the Chief Security Officer (CSO) of the farm had been arrested, along with those who went there to take away the cows that had been poisoned and were to be sold cheaply to them. There will be no cover up for any of those involved.

"There is an on-going thorough investigation and none of them would be spared. Rather than resorting to wilful destruction of public property, which are put in place in public interest, this people should endeavour to identify with genuine projects and policies put in place to fast-track the socio-economic development of the state".

Confirming the development yesterday, Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, George Akawa, said the suspects allegedly sold live cows at N30,000 each and dead ones for N20,000.

Imagine the type of beef they sell to us in the market. Whoever bought the dead cows probably sold it to the unsuspecting public as raw beef or suya. Stolen items sha; who sells cows for 30K?. That is a super giveaway price.

Too many Hollywood actresses has been arrested for shoplifting, so not only in Nigeria.
is it right? not at all

Fhemmmy:

Too many Hollywood actresses has been arrested for shoplifting, so not only in Nigeria.
is it right? not at all

They shoplift which is different from selling cows in your warehouse. This is the attitude our government is using to clean our coffers. The uniform Nigerian culture is steal and clean out wherever you manage and let them go to hell. John Holt, Lennards  and Leventis suffered the same fate in Nigeria in the hands of local management. Remember the livestock belongs to the government. What they did is as good as stealing government money.

aloy*emeka:

They shoplift which is different from selling cows in your warehouse. This is the attitude our government is using to clean our coffers. The uniform Nigerian culture is steal and clean out wherever you manage and let them go to hell. John Holt, Lennards  and Leventis suffered the same fate in Nigeria in the hands of local management. Remember the livestock belongs to the government. What they did is as good as stealing government money.

U have a point there.
Dont get me wrong, i am not supporting his act oh . . . .if na Sharia, they would have cut off his hands

Fhemmmy:

U have a point there.
Dont get me wrong, i am not supporting his act oh . . . .if na Sharia, they would have cut off his hands

The annoying thing is that they sold dead ones too.

Glad to know arrests where made. Now I hope the punishment doled out will fit the crime.

They will surely buy themselves out of it in due course.