CSOs Kick As N7.5B Corruption Scandal Rocks Top Kano Officials
By Ahmad Tijjani Abdul
KANO – League of Civil Society Organizations in Kano, on Sunday called for immediate accountability and transparency in the wake of a fresh corruption scandal, alleging that top government officials have misappropriated over ₦7.5 billion in public funds.
The coalition of civil society organizations in a statement that was made available to Reporters in Kano, warned that the integrity of governance in the state is at risk after separate investigations by Nigeria’s anti-graft agencies, the ICPC and EFCC, uncovered alleged money laundering schemes involving the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC) and the Government House.
According to reports, the ICPC concluded investigations into a ₦1.02 billion fraud allegedly masterminded by KANSIEC Chairman, Professor Sani Lawan Malumfashi, the Commission’s Secretary, Anas Mustapha, and a Deputy Director in the Accounts Department, Ado Garba.
The officials were accused of conspiring to transfer over ₦1 billion from KANSIEC’s Unity Bank account to a private firm, SLM Agro Global Farm, under the guise of payments to ad hoc electoral staff. Investigators said the funds had already been disbursed through the banking system, rendering the cash transaction unnecessary and fraudulent.
Barely a month later, the EFCC and ICPC also alleged that Abdullahi Ibrahim Rogo, the Director General of Protocol at the Kano Government House, diverted ₦6.5 billion using shell companies and bureau de change operators.
Investigators traced suspicious transactions through firms including H&M Nigeria Limited, A.Y. Maikifi Petroleum, and Ammas Oil and Gas Limited.
However, Court documents showed that the Federal High Court in Kano has already ordered the forfeiture of ₦142.2 million and frozen multiple accounts linked to the scandal.
“These revelations are not isolated incidents but part of a disturbing pattern of systemic abuse of office,” the League said, warning that corruption at this scale erodes public trust, scares away investors, discourages international donors, and weakens state institutions.
The group also cautioned that disillusionment among the youth could undermine civic engagement and future leadership.
The coalition demanded immediate suspension and prosecution of all implicated officials, an independent forensic audit of state finances, stronger oversight by the State Assembly, quarterly public disclosure of government expenditure, protection for whistleblowers, and a formal platform for government–civil society engagement.
“Kano State stands at a crossroads,” the statement read. “Either we confront corruption head-on and restore integrity to public office, or we allow the rot to deepen, risking the collapse of our institutions and the future of our children.”
The League, which comprises over 20 organizations including Wuro Development Concerns (WDCN), United Action for Democracy (UAD), and the Nigerian Environmental Society (NES), vowed to continue monitoring governance in Kano, mobilising citizens, and advocating until accountability is achieved