Bauchi police bust illegal fertiliser ring, arrest five suspects

The Bauchi State Police Command has uncovered and dismantled a large-scale illicit fertiliser production and distribution network, arresting five suspects and seizing a significant quantity of adulterated products, raw materials, and equipment used in the operation.

The crackdown was revealed in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, CSP Ahmed Wakil, who confirmed the operation followed credible intelligence received on May 10, 2025.

Acting on the tip-off, operatives from the Command’s Monitoring Unit arrested one Muhammad Abubakar at his residence in Magaji Quarters, Bauchi.

He was found in possession of six bags of suspected adulterated fertiliser and 46 bottles of fake herbicides.

A more extensive search of his home led to the recovery of 38 empty herbicide cartons, 14 NPK fertiliser sacks, nine Indorama-branded sacks, a jerrycan, five spoons, charcoal stoves, nylon wrapping materials, and sacks containing Ztars and lambda powder, typically used in chemical mixtures.

During his interrogation, Abubakar admitted to producing the counterfeit products and named his neighbour, Abubakar Umar, as a collaborator.

Further investigations took police to a shop on Gombe Road on May 14, where another suspect, 32-year-old Anas Abubakar, was arrested. Officers recovered 44.5 bags of adulterated fertiliser from his premises.

When questioned, Anas confessed to blending moulded kaolin with urea to create fake fertiliser and disclosed that he sourced his kaolin from Abdulrahaman Muhammad, a 24-year-old resident of Bakaro Quarters. While Abdulrahaman denied directly selling the adulterated fertiliser, he admitted supplying raw materials used in the production.

The investigation soon led to the arrest of Ziya’u Bala, 27, of Gudum Hausawa, who provided information on an illegal fertiliser manufacturing site located in Natsira Hamlet, Kangere Village. Police officers raided the site and uncovered around 100 bags and large piles of adulterated fertiliser.

The search also yielded 44 bags of fake fertiliser, 100 bags of moulded kaolin, 12 bags of fertiliser, and one bag of urea fertiliser, all intended for illicit blending.

Additional police raids exposed two more illegal production hubs in the same village operated by 34-year-old Sama’ila Abdullahi and 32-year-old Mujahid Abdullahi.

oth men admitted to selling their adulterated products to Abdulrahaman, who in turn supplied Anas.

All three illegal operations have now been shut down, with production materials and equipment seized as evidence.

Commenting on the development, Commissioner of Police, CP Sani-Omolori Aliyu, expressed the Command’s determination to ensure justice is served.

“Upon the conclusion of the investigation, all those involved in this criminal enterprise will be charged to court. The Command remains committed to protecting the integrity of agriculture and the safety of our citizens,” he said.

Bauchi police bust illegal fertiliser ring, arrest five suspects