Governor Dikko Radda of Katsina State has approved the suspension from service of Usman Iliyasu, a staff of Malumfashi Local Government Area, over alleged land racketeering.
This was contained in a statement on Friday by Abdullahi Aliyu-Yar’adu, Director of Press, Office of the Secretary to the State Government.
The governor said the action was a sequel to a report received by the government over the alleged illegal sale of lands at Makaurachi Forest Reserve in Malumfashi.
According to the statement: “The name of Usman Iliyasu, Head of Forestry Unit in the council, featured prominently in the illegal transactions. In view of the foregoing, the governor, as a matter of urgency, directed the Local Government Service Commission to suspend Iliyasu with immediate effect.
“The commission is to thoroughly investigate the matter and determine the extent of both the illegal transactions and the encroachment on the forest reserve. And also to identify all those involved in the illegal transactions, take immediate and appropriate actions on the matter, and report back to the governor without delay.