Many arrested, 10 charged to court over stolen UNICEF school bags

The Adamawa State Government has arrested 10 persons in connection with the recent sale of the United Nations Children’s Fund’s(UNICEF) school bags in the state.

The Executive Chairman, Adamawa State Basic Education Board, Prof. Ateequ Salihi, disclosed to journalists on Wednesday that a committee set up by the board had made the arrest.

The Education Secretary of the Mubi South Local Government Area, Jibrilla Babale, and four others, had been arrested in October for allegedly diverting 800 school bags donated by UNICEF to boost school enrolment in the state.

Salihi, while lamenting the shameful act, said the board, in its determination to ensure perpetrators were brought to book, constituted a nine-member committee charged with investigating the incident.

Read also: Adamawa education secretary, others remand in prison for diverting UNICEF bags

“So far, arrests in respect of the sale of the bags have been made in Michika, Mubi South, Hong and Yola North local government areas of the state. Those who were found wanting, about 10 persons, have already been charged to court”, he said.

He said the prosecution of persons arrested in connection with the sales of the school bags was to serve as a deterrent to those who diverted the school bags or any materials meant for public use in the future.