Nigerian Military Commander Detained Over Allegations of Equipment Theft and Rice Diversion

Brigadier General M.A. Sadiq of the 3 Brigade in Kano State is currently detained in a military police guardroom in Abuja. He faces allegations of diverting rice meant for soldiers and selling military equipment, such as generator sets and operational vehicles, to scrap yards.

The Nigerian Defence Headquarters provided rice to brigades across the country as a palliative for soldiers, but General Sadiq allegedly refused to distribute it to his troops in Kano State. Reports also indicate that he stole various military items, including a heavy-duty generator, from the Military Training Camp in Falgore, Kano, and sold them to scrap dealers.

Due to these allegations, General Sadiq has been replaced by Brigadier General A.M. Tukur, a former registrar of the Nigerian Defence Academy. According to sources, General Sadiq was invited to Abuja for questioning but was then ordered to be locked in the military police guardroom. Investigations are ongoing, and he may face charges in a court-martial.