- Kwankwaso’s nephew regains freedom after spending 9 hours in PCACC’s custody
For their alleged involvement in the N660 million water contract scam, three interim Local Government Chairmen are currently cooling their feet in custody of the Kano Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission (PCACC).
However, Musa Garba Kwankwaso, nephew of former Kano State Governor and leader of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), Dr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, who was also taken into custody as one of the suspecs, regained his freedom after being released on bail around 9 pm on Thursday.
PCACC’s insiders hinted that Kwankwaso, fingered as the main suspect in the alleged fraud, was directed to report back on Monday, August 26 for further engagement at the Commission’s office
The insiders also confirmed that the three embattled Council chairmen were granted bail but as at the time of filing the report, their counsels had not perfected the conditions for the administrative bail.
Competent sources further disclosed that the case is becoming quite interesting as three local government administrators, who are under investigation, have already confessed to misappropriating some funds allegedly transferred into their private accounts.
Those mentioned in the contract scandal are Abdulaziz Sulaiman of Kiru Local Government Area, Gambo Isa of Garko Local Government Area and Basiru Abubakar of Bebeji Local Government Area.
Additionally, 19 other persons are on the list of those currently being probed by the anti-graft agency interrogation. Among them are include treasurers, HOD of WASH and other senior officials of different Local Government Areas across the State.
The usual reliable source named those with questions to answer at PCACC as 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.
It was gathered that preliminary investigations and audit trail by the anti-corruption body identified some of the suspects as having transferring money to individual accounts and in some cases, withdrawing cash.
Also available information from insiders conversant with the investigation pro indicated that certain amount of money running into several millions have been recovered from the suspects as the investigation process continue towards making more recoveries.
Official sources explained 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.
It was learnt that the approval covered projects slated for August, September and October 2024, with N1.1 billion allocation for each month, translating to about N25 million for each local government council.
Of the N25 million approved and released to each local government in August, it was discovered that the Caretaker chairmen reportedly received directives from yet to be properly identified quarters to remit N10 million each to the account operated by Novomed Pharmaceuticals, a company reportedly owned by Musa Garba, a nephew of the Kwankwasiyya Movement leader and former Governor, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso.
The PCACC had scheduled a meeting on Thursday with him, which he obliged and honoured the invitation.
A letter signed by the Commission’s Head of Operations, CSP Salisu Saleh on behalf of the Chairman, said; “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 lid on the N440 million drug contract awarded to Novomed was blown open by a chieftain of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State, leading to the ongoing probe described as ‘fraudulent’ in nature by anti-graft agency.
Consequently, a post-no-debit order on the account of Novomed Pharmaceuticals, was secured by PCACC that effectively blocked any movement of the over N160 million as efforts to recover the outstanding amount continues.
But reacting to the latest development, counsel to the suspect, Barrister Okechukwu Nwaeze informed journalists that his client may be forced to challenge the current investigation given the multiplicity of invitations extended to them by three Anti-corruption bodies, the PCACC, EFCC and Independent Corrupt Practices & Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
Describing the development as unconstitutional and abuse of existing legal processes, he maintained that it is wrong to have different agencies investigating a case and breathing down the neck of only one concerning a particular case at hand.
