The operatives of the Bauchi State Police Command have uncovered an illegal fertiliser manufacturing operation, leading to the arrest of five individuals and the confiscation of large amounts of fake agricultural products and equipment.
In a press statement released Tuesday, Police Public Relations Officer, SP Ahmed Wakil, shared details of the operation. According to Wakil, on May 10, 2025, the Command’s Monitoring Unit acted swiftly based on a tip-off regarding the production of fake herbicides and fertilisers by one Muhammad Abubakar in Magaji Quarters, Bauchi.
Officers tracked Abubakar down at a market where he was caught with six bags of suspected fake fertiliser and 46 bottles of fake herbicides. Following his arrest, the police searched his house and found materials used in the illegal production process.
Items recovered included 38 empty cartons of herbicides, 14 NPK sacks, nine Indorama sacks, a jerry can, five spoons, charcoal stoves, nylon bags, and sacks containing Ztars and lambda powder. During questioning, Abubakar confessed and identified another suspect, Abubakar Umar, from the same area, as his partner in the operation.
Wakil further shared that another report came in on May 14, 2025, from a concerned citizen about illegal fertiliser production at a shop on Gombe Road, owned by Anas Abubakar, 32. Police raided the location and arrested Anas, who was found with over 44 bags of adulterated fertiliser. He later told investigators that he sourced his raw materials from Abdulrahaman Muhammad, 24, of Bakaro Quarters.
Although Abdulrahaman denied selling finished products, he admitted to supplying moulded kaolin, a key ingredient used in the adulteration. He said he got the material from Ziya’u Bala, 27, from Gudum Hausawa. Ziya’u was later arrested and led officers to his illegal facility in Natsira Hamlet near Kangare Village, where more than 100 bags of adulterated fertiliser and raw materials were discovered.
“Anas later confessed to utilising adulterated materials sourced from Abdulrahaman, which he blended with Urea fertiliser to produce the adulterated fertiliser,” Wakil noted.
The investigation also uncovered two additional illegal production sites owned by Sama’ila Abdullahi, 34, and Mujahid Abdullahi, 32. Both were arrested and admitted to producing and selling adulterated fertiliser to Abdulrahaman, who then supplied it to Anas.
All three sites were shut down, and the police recovered 44 bags of fake fertiliser, 100 bags of kaolin, 12 fertiliser bags, and one bag of urea. The suspects will face charges after the investigation concludes.
