The Kano State Public Complaints and Anti Corruption Commission (PCAC) has arrested and detained the immediate past former commissioner for works and Infrastructure, Alhaji Idris Wada Saleh and three others over allegations of N1 billion fraud.
The Chairman’s of the commission, Barr Muhyi Magaji Rimin-Gado disclosed this on Tuesday, while addressing a press conference.
Barrister Rimin-Gado hinted that the commissioner who has been Managing Director, Kano Road Maintenance Agency, Permanent Secretary, Public Procurement Bureau, Mustapha Madaki Huguma, Director of Finance, Director of Research and Planning with others were arrested on Monday evening over allegation of withdrawing over N1billion for the rehabilitation of 30 roads and drainage in the metropolis that was not carried out.
He however disclosed that though those three persons, who were staff of the state government have confessed to the anti-graft that they were mandated to withdrew the money and thus did it to avoid been witch hunting or sacked if they wee refused to carried out the orders.
Barrister Rimin-Gado added that the money which was withdrawn in three batches was paid into account of three companies around April 25th,2023 after a month the then governor Ganduje had lost election.
He stated that those arrested have made confessional statement of payment for jobs not done and “the companies they paid the money ti are bogus having almost the same letterhead without tentative office.’’
According to him, “surprisingly the Public Procurement Bureau even issued certificate of no objection for the contract after the payment was made ten days earlier which is contrary to the Kano State Procurement act 2021.’’
He further disclosed that “The Due Process office said the certificate of no objection was issued because Kano Road Maintenance Agency said the rehabilitation of the roads would be carried out through direct labour but the papers submitted read otherwise.’’
Meanwhile the Kano Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission said it has made a frantic effort to unraveling the case involving former Governor Umar Ganduje in a Dollar Video Clip.
According to him, the commission has since invited some forensic experts who are expected to carefully study the Video Clip to understand its content.
Muhyi said the controversy surrounding Ganduje and the alleged video remains very interesting to the Kano people and as such, the Commission is under oath to get to the root of the matter.
