Speaking on Channels TV programme on Tuesday, the Chairman of the anti-graft commission, Muhuyi Magaji, said “What is happening now is a tip of the iceberg.
The Anti-Corruption and Public Complaints Commission in Kano State has filed fresh charges of corruption and maladministration against the state’s former governor and suspended National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje.
Speaking on Channels TV programme on Tuesday, the Chairman of the anti-graft commission, Muhuyi Magaji, said “What is happening now is a tip of the iceberg.
“As I am talking to you, we are investigating a case whereby N51.3bn local government funds were directly taken from the government coffers (and) sent to other individuals, and we traced it to people.”
According to Magaji, Ganduje-led government took N1billion from the state treasury a month to the end of the administration but the money was sent to Bureau de Change operators and not used for road renovation as it was earmarked.
Magaji said, “We have piled a series of cases. We have a case whereby N1bn in April last year (2023) was removed from government coffers under the allocation of renovating 30 roads in the metropolis and it was taken away, sent to Bureau de Change.
“We have a case of N4bn whereby it was sent from the consolidated revenue account of Kano State to an agricultural company. All these cases are before the court.”
He said that he was being viewed as a “stubborn person” in some quarters, insisting that the court ruled that money laundering was a federal offence but the commission has the right to probe alleged corruption and maladministration by the Ganduje administration.
He said that though he was appointed by Ganduje to head the agency, he won’t hesitate to prosecute alleged corruption by his administration.
Magaji said that “Incidentally, His Excellency, the former governor was the one that appointed me in 2015 to head the agency and I was re-appointed in 2020 for another five-year term. Basically, we have an institution in the Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission that is devoid of political activities and dedicated to fight corruption, check maladministration and fight injustice.”
He noted that he started investigating the administration of Ganduje when he was Kano governor. He said there should be no sacred cows in the anti-corruption fight in the state.
“That is the beauty of what we are doing. In Nigeria, we are not supposed to have those that will be shielded. Even we that are in the anti-corruption agency, our integrity has been tested. And that is how it is supposed to be. Anybody that is charged before the court of law, let him go and answer.”
The Kano High Court would arraign Ganduje on Wednesday on charges bordering on allegations of bribery, diversion, and misappropriation of funds, including the purported acceptance of $413,000 and N1.38bn in bribes.
Media had reported that Ganduje has been suspended from the APC in Kano State for alleged corruption including allegations of bribery leveled against him by the Kano State Government.
The former governor was suspended by the executive members of Ganduje Ward in the Dawakin-Tofa local government area of Kano State.
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