The Department of State Services (DSS) has reportedly arrested four people, including a private warehouse owner, over the alleged diversion of humanitarian supplies donated to Taraba State by Saudi Arabia’s King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSRelief).
The arrests reportedly followed the discovery of a truckload of relief materials, including bags of rice, white beans and other essential commodities, at a private warehouse in Sintali Ward, Jalingo Local Government Area.
Sources familiar with the incident said the supplies were originally meant for vulnerable residents and households affected by natural disasters across the state. Their presence at a private facility reportedly raised concerns that prompted security operatives to intervene.
Footage obtained by SaharaReporters showed utility vehicles believed to belong to the DSS at the warehouse, while bags of the donated items were being moved. Some of the bags carried the inscription “Not for Sale,” suggesting that the supplies were reserved for humanitarian distribution rather than commercial transactions.
According to sources cited in the report, the materials were being transported to the DSS headquarters in Jalingo following the discovery. The reported arrests came after allegations surfaced concerning the handling of relief supplies by the Taraba State Emergency Management Agency (TSEMA).
The controversy follows a humanitarian distribution programme launched on June 20, 2026, by TSEMA in partnership with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA). The initiative was designed to assist residents affected by fire outbreaks, flooding and windstorms, alongside other vulnerable households across Taraba State.
At the launch, TSEMA Executive Secretary, Dr Echuseh Audu, praised the Saudi organisation for its assistance and commended Governor Agbu Kefas for his commitment to supporting disadvantaged residents. She also pledged that the distribution process would be transparent, fair and accountable.
However, questions about the management of humanitarian resources have continued to attract attention following earlier allegations involving Audu and financial transactions linked to a business associated with her.
In a September 26 report, SaharaReporters raised questions about transactions involving Katuka’s Kitchen and payments totalling ₦44 million to a hospital in Abuja. The report also examined transactions connected to the Taraba State Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (LPRES) Drawdown Account.
One transaction cited in the report showed that ₦12.19 million was transferred from the LPRES account at Zenith Bank to Katuka’s Kitchen on October 28, 2025, before the same amount was reportedly returned to the government-linked account.
A source quoted in the report also alleged that although Audu had formally withdrawn from the business through the Corporate Affairs Commission, her Bank Verification Number remained linked to its bank account.
Audu had previously denied allegations that relief items, including rice and groundnut oil, meant for vulnerable residents had been diverted. She reportedly presented herself voluntarily to security agencies and called for an investigation to establish the facts.
The latest reported arrests add another dimension to the controversy surrounding the handling of donated relief supplies in Taraba. However, the allegations remain subject to investigation, and the reported arrests do not, by themselves, establish the guilt of those involved.
