Controversy appears to surround the exact position of 72 tractors parked at the Trade Fair Complex, Minna, the capital of Niger State allegedly belonging to the 25 local government areas of the state.
While the state House of Assembly, it was gathered, believed that the tractors might have been sold as they are no longer inside the Complex, the state government claimed the tractors are intact, but only moved to another location.
The development set tongues wagging, hence members of the House decided to set up a seven-man ad hoc committee to investigate the sudden disappearance of the machines and their whereabouts were traced to a contractor, Dogara ga Allah.
The house committee invited the contractor for questioning, but he claimed ignorance on the matter, insisting that he knew nothing about them.
DAILY POST learnt that the contractor took members of the ad-hoc committee to the original place the tractors were gathered at the Trade Fair Complex, where only six out of 72 were seen.
Furthermore, it was gathered that when asked about the remaining 66 tractors, Dogara ga Allah told the lawmakers that he knew nothing about their whereabouts.
Failing to give further details on the missing machines, the committee handed over Dogara ga Allah to the Tudun-Wada Police Station in Minna.
The committee Chairman and Member Representing Bosso Constituency, Abdulmalik Madaki Bosso speaking on the development, said the house will not rest until it unravels the sudden disappearance of all the missing tractors.
He insisted that no stone will be left unturned in ensuring that the tractors are recovered for the 25 local government areas of the state.
It would be recalled that while fielding questions from journalists at a post Exco briefing at the government house, Minna on the 30th of June,2022, the government, through the state Commissioner for Local Government, Community Development and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Kabiru Abbas Musa, had said that 69 tractors as against 72 alleged to have been missing are intact.
According to the Commissioner, the tractors were moved from the original place they were packed at the Trade Fair Complex to the Niger State Agriculture and Mechanization Development Authority (NAMDA) at Maitumbi a suburb of Minna, the state capital.
Alhaji Musa said the ministry had not entered any agreement with any contractor for the repairs of the said tractors claimed to have disappeared.
