THREE interim Local Government Chairmen have been taken into custody of the Kano Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission (PCACC) over alleged N660 million water contract scam.
Musa Garba Kwankwaso, nephew of the leader of the Kwankwasiyya movement, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, was also taken into custody but released on bail around 9pm, on Thursday.
Sources said he was instructed to return to the commission’s office on Monday.
The three local government administrators who are under probe by investigators have confessed to have misappropriated monies into their private accounts, according to sources.
They are that of Kiru Local Government Area, Abdulaziz Sulaiman, Basiru Abubakar of Bebeji Local Government Area and Gambo Isa, the caretaker Chairman of Garko Local Government Area.
Also, 19 individuals are currently under custody and undergoing interrogation. They include treasurers, HOD of WASH and other senior officials of different Local Government Areas.
Among them are Nura Uba Sani, Muhammad Sani, Usman, Ibrahim Sani, Usman Yusha’u, Muhammad A Shehu, Ismail Yusuf, Muhammad Jamilu, Sani, Kabiru Akilu Kawo, Nasir Adamu, Basiru, Abubakar, Danlami Mu’azu Sa’idu, Abdullahi, Muhammad Yako, Abubakar Muhammad, Abba Abdullahi, Gali Abdulkadir Jauro, Bashir Ibrahim Fanda, Garzali Abdu Sulaiman and Ibrahim Danguda.
They are alleged to have been involved by transferring money to individual accounts and in some cases, withdrawing cash.
Daily Trust understands that some millions have been recovered from them while investigation is ongoing with efforts to recover more.
However, the three chairmen also granted bail but yet to perfect as at the time of filing the report.
However, Daily Trust learnt that they will be granted administrative bail once they meet up with the conditions.
It was gathered that the N660 million is part of the N1.1 billion approved by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf for the 44 local governments to tackle issues related to water and medical supplies.
The approval covered projects slated for August, September and October 2024, with N1.1 billion allocated each month, granting N25 million to each local government.
Of the N25 million approved and released to each local government in August, it was discovered that the caretaker chairmen were directed to remit N10 million each to the account of Novomed Pharmaceuticals, a company reportedly owned by Musa Garba, a nephew of Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, the leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement.
The PCACC had scheduled a meeting on Thursday with him, which he obliged and honoured the invitation.
The letter, signed by CSP Salisu Saleh, the commission’s head of operations on behalf of the chairman, stated that “the commission is investigating an alleged violation of Section 31 and 33 of the Public Procurement Law and Financial Management Law concerning contracts awarded by the Ministry for Local Governments in Kano State to your company (Novomed Pharmaceuticals) for the supply of drugs to 44 local government councils.”
The investigation is based on a N440 million drug contract awarded to his company of which the agency flagged ‘fraudulent’ in nature.
The anti-graft agency has secured a post-no-debit order on the account of Novomed Pharmaceuticals, blocking over N160 million while moving to recover the remaining sum.
However, counsel to Kwankwaso, Barrister Okechukwu Nwaeze had told newsmen of the likely decision to challenge the probe following multiple invitations received from three Anti-corruption agencies – the PCACC, ICPC and the EFCC.
Nwaeze said the act is unconstitutional as only one agency can probe a case involving a person at a time.