Ganduje’s ex-Commissioner, 5 others arrested over alleged N1 billion fraud

Former Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure in the immediate past governor Abdullahi Ganduje’s administration, Engr. Idris Wada Saleh and five other Directors have been arrested by the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti Corruption Commission over alleged N1 billion fraud.

The embattled former Commissioner was also the Managing Director of the Kano Road Maintenance Agency and was arrested alongside the Permanent Secretary of the Public Procurement Bureau, Mustapha Madaki Huguma; the Director of Finance, the Director of Research and Planning, and others on Monday evening.

The State anti-graft agency said, the officials withdrew the sum of N1 billion in three batches for rehabilitation of 30 roads and drainages in Kano metropolis, but the project was not executed.

According to the source close to the operations, the agency discovered that the money was paid into the account of three companies around April 25th, 2023.

Also the State Public Procurement was said to have issued a certificate of no objection for the contract after the payment was made 10 days earlier, a development is contrary to the Kano State Procurement act 2021.

According to one of the sources, those arrested have made confessional statement of payment for jobs not done.
“The companies are bogus having almost the same letterhead without tentative office.”

“The Due Process office said the certificate of no objection was issued because the Kano Road Maintenance Agency said the rehabilitation of the roads would be carried out through direct labour but the papers submitted read otherwise.”

The companies are North Stone Construction Company Nig. Ltd, Arfat Multiresources Ltd and 1st Step Construction Ltd.
The spokesperson of the Commission, Abba Kabir confirmed that those arrested are undergoing interrogation and would be arraign before the court immediately investigation is completed.