Nigerian Army General Arrested in Abuja for Alleged Theft of Palliative Rice and Sale of Official Vehicles, Generators
Brigadier General M.A. Sadiq, the commander of the 3 Brigade in Kano State, is currently detained in a military police guardroom in Abuja. He faces allegations of diverting rice palliatives intended for soldiers and selling military equipment, including generator sets and operational vehicles, to scrap yards. According to reports, the Nigerian Defence Headquarters had distributed the rice to military brigades nationwide for soldiers’ welfare, but General Sadiq allegedly withheld it from his men in Kano State.
In addition to the rice palliative scandal, the embattled general is accused of stealing several pieces of military equipment, including a MIKANO heavy-duty generator from the Military Training Camp in Falgore, Kano, which he allegedly sold to scrap dealers. These serious allegations led to General Sadiq’s removal from his post, and he has since been replaced by Brigadier General A.M. Tukur, a former registrar of the Nigerian Defence Academy.
A military source confirmed that General Sadiq has been detained and is under investigation by the special investigation branch of the military police. He was reportedly summoned to Abuja for questioning and subsequently ordered to be held in the guardroom. The investigation is ongoing, and the general may face charges before a court-martial.
Although the Defence Headquarters has yet to issue an official statement on the matter, sources suggest that the investigation is being treated with urgency.
In a related development, Fushion Chronicles Nigeria previously reported that 196 soldiers from various army formations, primarily in the North-East, have applied for voluntary retirement. Amid growing security challenges, these soldiers reportedly cited low morale as a key reason for their decision. Some expressed interest in joining foreign military forces, including the British Army and the Ukrainian Army. The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, has approved their formal disengagement.
