Aliyu Flags Off Free Fertilizer Distribution, Warns Against Diversion

Governor Ahmed Aliyu has flagged off the free distribution of fertilizer and other farm inputs to farmers across the 23 Local Government Areas of Sokoto State, warning that anyone found diverting the commodity will face the full weight of the law.

The Governor disclosed that the State Government procured 157,800 bags of assorted fertilizers, equivalent to 263 truckloads of NPK and Urea fertilizers, valued at N7.706 billion, for distribution to farmers across the state.
He explained that each of the 23 Local Government Areas would receive six truckloads of fertilizer for free distribution to genuine farmers.
Governor Aliyu recalled that his administration had previously distributed fertilizer free of charge on three occasions but later discovered that many intended beneficiaries were denied access due to the activities of middlemen. This, he said, prompted the government to sell fertilizer at a subsidized rate last year.
He noted that new measures had now been introduced to eliminate diversion and ensure that only genuine farmers benefit from the programme.
“If we succeed in eliminating these sharp practices, the fertilizer distribution programme will continue to be free for our farmers,” the Governor stated.
Governor Aliyu further announced that the State Government had procured 12,800 bags of improved seeds, including Millet Super SOSAT, Hybrid Maize, Beans, Cowpea, Sorghum and FARO 44 Rice, alongside herbicides and insecticides for distribution to farmers across the state.
As part of efforts to achieve full agricultural mechanization, he revealed that the administration had procured 250 units of MF-375 Massey Ferguson tractors at a cost of N22.126 billion, with 75 percent of the contract sum already paid.
According to him, the contractor has already delivered 90 percent of the tractors.
The Governor also disclosed that the Federal Government, under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, had offered Sokoto State the opportunity to acquire an additional 100 Belarus tractors through the Bank of Agriculture, with the state paying only 60 percent of the cost of each tractor and its implements.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Committee for the Supervision of Fertilizer and Other Essential Commodities Distribution, Alhaji Chuso Abdullahi Dattijo, said the 2026 wet season fertilizer distribution programme demonstrates the administration’s commitment to ensuring genuine farmers have timely access to quality fertilizer through a transparent, accountable and well-coordinated distribution system.
He said the programme was designed not only to distribute fertilizer but also to strengthen livelihoods, increase agricultural output, reduce the cost of food production and improve the economic well-being of households across Sokoto State.
Dattijo urged farmers to make proper use of the fertilizer, adopt improved farming practices and continue to demonstrate the resilience and hard work for which Sokoto farmers are known.
In his remarks, the Sokoto State Commissioner for Agriculture, Alhaji Tukur Alkali, commended the various interventions of the State Government aimed at supporting farmers and ensuring food sufficiency in the state and across the country.
He also praised Governor Ahmed Aliyu for constructing rural roads across the state, noting that the projects would enhance agricultural activities and attract investors.
Also speaking, the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, commended Governor Aliyu for implementing farmer-friendly agricultural programmes designed to improve harvests and boost food production.
Speaking on behalf of the 23 Local Government Chairmen, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Dadi Adare, applauded the Governor for procuring fertilizer for free distribution to farmers across the state.
He assured the Governor that local government chairmen would closely monitor the distribution process to ensure the fertilizer reaches the intended beneficiaries.
The event was attended by the leader of the APC in Sokoto State, Distinguished Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, Deputy Governor Idris Muhammad Gobir, Deputy Speaker of the Sokoto State House of Assembly Kabir Ibrahim Kware, Chief Judge Justice Sa’idu Muhammad Sifawa, Grand Kadi Sodangi Shu’aibu Achida, APC North-West Zonal Secretary Isa Saddiq Achida, commissioners, special advisers, senior special assistants, permanent secretaries, directors-general, executive secretaries, traditional rulers and other dignitaries.