The Kano State Commissioner for Health, Dr Abubakar Labaran Yusuf, has ordered the arrest of a trader accused of selling government-issued child nutrition supplies meant to be distributed free of charge to vulnerable families.
The directive followed a routine inspection carried out by the commissioner and his team across health commodity distribution points in Kano on Sunday.
During the visit, the suspect, identified as Surajo Ibrahim, a dried food seller operating in the Kofar Dawanau area along Northwest Road, was found in possession of cartons of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF), a product used to treat children suffering from severe acute malnutrition.
Reacting to the discovery, Dr Yusuf described the act as unacceptable and harmful to public health efforts in the state.
“This is a commodity provided by the government free of charge. Anyone who buys or sells it is committing an offence,” he said.
He stressed that the supplies are funded by the administration of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf to support children in need.
He immediately directed that the suspect be handed over to the Dala Police Division for investigation and possible prosecution while calling for a thorough probe into how the products were diverted.
“We will not tolerate any attempt to sabotage programmes meant to save lives, especially those targeting vulnerable children,” the commissioner added.
