By Augustine Okezie, Katsina

- Customs probes shooting of official

- Decries media propaganda against state

Katsina State Governor Aminu Bello Masari has revealed that the state generated N393 million as taxes and levies from farming and the agricultural sector despite the spate of growing attacks on the farming communities across parts of the state.

Masari disclosed this during the launch of 600 hectares of Date planting campaign in Katsina; organised by the National Association of Date Farmers’ Processors and Marketers of Nigeria (NADAFPAM) in collaboration with the state government.

He said: “1,249,551 short-term and long-term jobs have been created mostly among youths and women with over N13 billion generated as income for agricultural entrepreneurs across the 34 local government areas of the state.”

The State Deputy Governor and Commissioner of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mannir Yakubu explained that for the take-off of the Date Palm plantation, 20 hectares of land will be provided in each of the seven old local government areas in the state.

He announced that 17 hectares will be provided in each of the remaining 27 council areas with 60 youths selected from the 34 local government areas of the state to undergo a train-the-trainers workshop on the establishment and management of date palm and a step-down training.

In another development, the Katsina Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), has announced the constitution of a panel to probe the assault on a Katsina State Government official by men of the command along Daura- Mai’adua Road in Katsina State

The Katsina State Deputy Controller Dalha Wada Chedi, who made the above disclosure in Katsina, while updating reporters on the latest seizures made by his command between August four and September four this year, also called on the people to patiently wait for the outcome of the investigation.

The spokesman of the command, Danbaba Isah had earlier confirmed the incident which occurred when the Commissioner’s convoy was moving from Daura to Mai’adua Local Government Area.

Isah said the four officers involved have been taken into custody at the Katsina Police Headquarters for investigations and further action.

The Deputy Controller, Customs, Katsina Area Command has said the agency is winning the war on cross border smuggling activities.

He said: “There is a serious reduction in cross border smuggling in Katsina State, compared to the quantity of good we have now seized and the last seizure.”

Also, the Katsina State Government yesterday condemned what it called a “media attack,” by a national television station against the state government over a “viral clip” alleging spelling and grammatical errors contained in two recent executive containment orders signed by the Governor, Aminu Bello Masari.

The State’s Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Ahmed Usman El-Mazuq said the state government was “embarrassed” by the decision of the television house to focus on “trivial matters” rather than on core issues bordering on security threats in the state which the containment orders sought to address.

He said: “A viral clip emanating from Arise News Television on the recent containment orders, purported to have been signed by Governor Aminu Bello Masari and circulating in social media circles, was not the one signed by Governor Masari.”