The Special Adviser to the Kano State Governor on Tsangaya Education, Sheikh Musa Falaki, has alleged that N308 million contributed by Kano’s 44 local government councils for special prayer sessions was diverted during the tenure of former Deputy Governor, Comrade Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo.
Falaki made the allegation in a video interview aired on a local radio station, claiming that funds earmarked for religious activities across the state were collected in the names of clerics who neither received the money nor conducted the prayers.
According to him, the former leadership of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) in Kano had informed them that the 44 local government councils were contributing N44 million monthly to sponsor special prayers.
Read Also:One year after Uromi killings of 16 Kano hunters, families still await promised compensation, justice
He said the arrangement designated him and Sheikh Ibrahim Sheshi Maihula as coordinators of the exercise.
“The local governments were said to be contributing N44 million every month for special prayers across the state, and we were told that Sheikh Ibrahim Sheshi Maihula and I would coordinate the programme,” Falaki said.
However, he alleged that neither of the clerics received any funds linked to the exercise.
Falaki said they only became aware that money had allegedly been released in their names after they were invited by the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission (PCACC) as part of an ongoing investigation.
Read Also:We Barely Survive’: Northern states residents groan as high petrol cost deepen hardship
“We were surprised when the commission invited us. That was when we learnt that money had allegedly been released in our names for the prayers,” he said.
According to him, investigators informed them that N44 million had allegedly been disbursed every month for seven months, bringing the total amount involved to N308 million.
He maintained that since the clerics neither received the funds nor organised the prayer sessions, the money could not have been used for the stated purpose.
Falaki further claimed that the matter formed part of a wider investigation by the anti-corruption commission into the management of local government funds.
He alleged that investigators had asked Gwarzo to refund more than N700 million allegedly diverted from the treasuries of the 44 local government councils.
The former deputy governor has not publicly responded to the allegations as of the time of filing this report.
