‘N1.5bn fraud’: EFCC arrests ex-Kano assembly speaker

Kano state zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Tuesday arrested the former speaker of the state, Isiyaku Ali Danja for misappropriation constituency projects fund.

The lawmaker is now minority leader of Kano state House of Assembly.

Danja got into trouble following a petition that funds meant for payment of tax liabilities to Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) by the state government were  diverted and misappropriated to the tune of over one billion, five hundred thousand naira from the sub-treasury account of the state government.

A statement by the commission’s acting spokesperson, Tony Orilade, said several suspicious payments were traced to some beneficiaries, including Allad Drilling Limited, a company in which the suspect is the sole signatory.

He said investigation by the commission further revealed that the funds were on several occasions personally withdrawn in cash by the suspect while he was the only one who could officially state whether jobs were done before any payments could be made.

The EFCC had earlier arrested the commissioner for special duties in state, Mukhtar Ishaq, for allegedly diverting funds meant for Kano municipal while he was chairman of the local government.

Mukhtar was arrested by the commission following a petition that he was chairman of Kano Municipal where he diverted funds meant for projects, development and empowerment of the people.

The petitioner further alleged that Mukhtar ordered the deduction of N30, 000 from the account of each council member without justification.

Mukhtar was also alleged to have converted property of Kofar Nasarawa Primary School, Kano into shops and sold same at the rate of N10, 000, 000 per shop and diverted the money to personal use.

He said both suspects would be charged to court on completion of investigations.

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