A local activist, Bala Nuhu Kafanchan, was arrested and detained on Wednesday night after publicly questioning alleged irregularities in the distribution of government-supplied fertiliser to farmers in Jema’a Local Government Area.
According to a source who spoke to Sahara Reporters on condition of anonymity, Nuhu was picked up by security personnel shortly after he shared a Facebook post comparing the fertiliser publicly announced by Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani for distribution to 150,000 farmers statewide with a different batch he alleged was actually being unloaded for farmers in his community. He is currently being held at the Kafanchan Area Command.The source said the arrest was ordered by the Jema’a Local Government Chairman, Peter Tanko, after security agents were reportedly dispatched to detain Nuhu over the post.
In the post that preceded his arrest, Nuhu questioned why the fertiliser being distributed to farmers appeared different from what had been officially announced by the state government. He asked whether the allocated stock had been exhausted, arguing that if so, it should not have been quietly replaced with what he described as old or substandard product.
He further alleged that some of the fertiliser supplied by the governor remained stored, unused, in Kagoma town, while communities such as Kafanchan, Godogodo, and Jagindi Gidan Waya — which together comprise nine wards — received only four trucks. By contrast, he said, Kagoma, with just three wards, received three trucks.
The source corroborated these claims, alleging that the fertiliser being handed to farmers was of markedly lower value than what had been officially allocated — estimating the governor-supplied product at roughly ₦60,000 per unit, against an alternative allegedly sourced for about ₦25,000, with truck allocations diverted in the process.The source further accused the local government chairman of routinely deploying police and civil defense personnel to silence residents who criticise the administration on social media, describing the practice as recurring whenever posts touch on governance failures.
In his post, Nuhu framed his intervention as a call for accountability rather than confrontation. “We are not seeking conflict, we are not seeking insults or disrespect,” he wrote. “What we are seeking is justice, honesty, and clear transparency.” He called on political leaders from the Kafanchan area to intervene and ensure farmers received the fertiliser properly allocated to them.
The specific offence for which Nuhu is being held has not been disclosed. Efforts to reach Chairman Peter Tanko for comment were unsuccessful, as he did not respond to calls at the time of filing.
