Top Government Functionaries And Their Multi-Billion Naira Farms
Owning a farm in Nigeria is no big deal. In fact, to guarantee food sufficiency in a country that hitherto depended solely on oil is encouraging. But something is amiss. Our investigation reveals that the current political elites are the greatest beneficiaries of President Buhari-led farming revolution policies and schemes. This way, the only small fraction of the market is left for the over 180m Nigerians who are at the lowest social rung to compete.
The investigation further reveals that Nigeria political elites benefit more from all the pro-agricultural incentives and schemes than the average peasant farmer who just strive to eke out what he and members of his family could survive on.
One would be surprised that virtually all the agricultural loans and schemes by the likes of Central Bank of Nigeria, Bank of Agriculture, BOI and NIRSAL directly benefit the elites, most times through proxies. But, the great news is that they are producing. Producing what the poor Nigerians may or may not afford to buy. They cash in on their positions to create the needed market for their produce.
In the first part of this investigative report, we will bring to your reading pleasure the farms and the current top government functionaries that own them.
Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara – MANCHONG Integrated Farms Ltd {formerly Dogara Farms Ltd}
Our investigation revealed that the farm formerly known as Dogara Farms Limited has been changed to Manchong Integrated Farms Ltd, obviously in the height of the controversy between the speaker and one of his colleagues, Hon. Jubril Abdulmumin. The farm sits in very expansive land in Uke, Nasarawa State. Our investigation revealed that the farm, currently under the management of a consortium of foreign and local companies rakes in billions of Naira for the Speaker. Aside politics, we learned the farm is dear to the Speaker that he visits the farm virtually every Fridays.
Hadi Sirika: Ecokleen Farms Limited:
Ownership of Ecokleen Integrated Farms is too many an unsolved puzzle. But strong information at our disposal alleges that the consortium of farms is owned by no other person than President Muhammadu Buhari’s kinsman and relative, Minister of State for Aviation, Alh. Hadi Sirika. Like that of his contemporaries, the farm sits in another large expanse of land along Abuja-Keffi Expressway, Nasarawa State.
Mark’s Integrated Farms:
Contrary to what Nigerians know about the former Senate President, David mark who is currently the Senator representing Benue South at the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly, is a high-scale farmer in livestock and other agro-allied produce. Mark’s Integrated Farms Ltd is situated in a very large expanse of land in Koya Settlement, Masaka, Nasarawa State, Nigeria. There are allegedly many of the farms in so many States, especially in the North Central Region.
Efugi Farms:
Efugi Farms is owned By Audu Ogbe, the Minister of Agriculture. We understand it’s currently operated under a blind-trust arrangement with business proxies and partners. Efugi Farms in Abuja is located in a large expanse of land in Kuje Area Council, Abuja. The farm as we learned was in a moribund state with a collapsed fence, buildings and infrastructures before the emergence of Audu Ogbe as minister of agriculture. Today, Efugi farm has been braced to a fully functional state with the state of the art facilities, under financial supports of Central Bank of Nigeria and Zenith Bank.
Nagari Integrated Farms Ltd:
Nagari Integrated Farms Ltd is owned by Senator Abdullahi Adamu who served two terms as Governor of Nasarawa State. Nagari farm processes agro-allied edibles like the popular Nagari Farm Yoghurt. The farm from our investigation breeds special cows that produce milk from where the yoghurt is manufactured. Like farms of other government functionaries above, Nagari farms sits at a large expense of land along Keffi-Nasarawa State. The farm as we learned is currently being supervised by Senator Abdullahi Adamu’s daughter.
Tukur & Turkur Farms Limited:
The farm is owned by the current Chief of Army Staff, Major General Tukur Buratai. The billion Naira worth farm is situated in Gora, Keffi-Abuja Expressway, Nasarawa State. Our investigation revealed that the integrated farm has the poultry section, a snake rearing section where different species of snakes are reared and sold either for consumption or for research. There is also the fishery section where many species of fishes are reared. Among top customers of the farm are big hotels within Abuja and neighbouring states. Our investigation further revealed that researchers use the farm in their efforts at inventing different snake vaccines.
A source told us that on the average, a bowl of snake pepper soup from the Tukur Farm costs as much as N50,000 per plate.
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Source: https://www.leadingreporters.com/investigation/top-government-functionaries-and-their-multi-billion-naira-farms-part-i/
