The Katsina State Governor, Dikko Radda, has suspended an official of the Malumfashi local government area of the state, Usman Aliyu, for alleged land racketeering.
The Director of Press, Office of the Secretary to the State Government, Abdullahi Aliyu-Yar’adu, confirmed the development in a statement on Friday in Katsina.
He said the action followed the release of a report on the alleged illegal sale of lands at Makaurachi Forest Reserve in Malumfashi.
The statement read: “The name of Usman liyasu, Head of Forestry Unit in the council featured prominently in the illegal transactions.
“Given the foregoing, the governor, as a matter of urgency directed the Local Government Service Commission to suspend Iliyasu with immediate effect.
“The commission is to thoroughly investigate the matter, determine the extent of both the illegal transactions and the encroachment on the forest reserve.
“And also to identify all those involved in the illegal transactions, take immediate and appropriate actions on the matter, and report back to the governor without delay.”
