The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has acknowledged the call made by a civil society group to investigate reinstated Kano anti-corruption agency boss, Muhuyi Magaji Rimin-Gado.
In a statement sighted by DailyNews24, the EFCC Kano Zonal Command acknowledges the receipt of a petition signed by its officer, Hayatu Muhammad Laminu.
This is a sequel to the press conference made by the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission, which boldly pronounced in crystal clear the number of alleged embezzlements and financial misappropriations against Barr. Muhuyi Magaji Rimin Gado during his days in office as the Executive Chairman of the Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission.
In a letter dated June 2, 2023, “the membership of the Umbrella of Kano Concerned Civil Society Groups feels compelled to draw the kind attention of the EFCC and wishes to furnish you with the following information, which was allegedly tagged against Barr Muhuyi Magaji Rimin Gado and unveiled by Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission via a press conference in recent time.
“The Umbrella of Kano Concerned Civil Society Groups wishes to forward the aforementioned allegations to enable the EFCC to swing into action on neutral ground without fear, favor, or what have you, as an entity saddled with cases of such outlook. Therefore, we can rest assured that these allegations will be thoroughly investigated in the spirit of justice and fairness.
“We want the EFCC to consider this issue as a matter of concern while investigating this matter to its logical conclusion, which would definitely resolve the level of controversy and the misrepresentation of facts tussling around.
“We have confidence in the EFCC owing to the fact that it reflects in your good records that cases regarding financial crimes and related menaces are what you are keen to be intolerant of, no matter who is involved. Thus, we anticipate your prompt and timely response.
“Conclusively, we urge the EFCC to bring any person or group of people who directly or indirectly partake in this alleged collusion to justice if your investigation proves these allegations have been committed.
Recall that, DailyNews24 reports how the group called on the Kano State government to launch an investigation into the alleged misappropriation of public funds levied against the state’s former anti-graft agency chairman, Muhuyi Magaji Rimingado.
The group also called on concerned Kano citizens to help the new administration with relevant information that will assist in its investigation into the allegations levied against Mr. Rimingado.
The group made the call in a memo signed by its chairman, Comr. Ibrahim Ali, and secretary, Comr. Abbas Hassan.
This is a sequel to the press release made by the 2023 Gubernatorial Transition Committee (GTC), which was set up by His Excellency, Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf, the Kano State governor.
The said committee invites the general public to kindly come forward with any relevant information that would assist the incoming administration in order to have more insight into what has transpired in the last eight years (2015–2023) under the watch of the outgoing administration of Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.
“We at the Umbrella of Kano Concerned Civil Society Groups feel compelled to provide you with the following information, which was allegedly leveled against Barr Muhuyi Magaji Rimin Gado and revealed by the Commission via a press conference in recent times.
“In 2019, 756,000.00 naira was released to the Commission for the purchase of new boxes for the public suggestion box department, but there is no record of the expenditure execution or supply of the boxes, and the money was released to Barr. Muhuyi Rimin Gado.
“Also, the sum of 960,000 naira was released to the Commission for organizing a 2-day anti-corruption seminar for the newly elected local government officials. The money was released by the Ministry for Local Government, at which the seminar did not take place.
“It is also on record that the sum of 800,000.00 naira was requested by Barr. Muhuyi Magaji Rimin Gado and duly released from the office of the accountant general to the Commission to conduct six months of routine training for its staff, but there is no record of the training conducted with the funds.
“Similarly, the sum of N300,000.00 was released to the Commission from the office of the Accountant General dated 12/4/2021 for the payment of external auditors (Salihu Metal & Co.) engaged to audit the account of the Commission for the period of 2017–2019.
“Records indicate that the firm of chartered accountants charged the sum of N600,000.00 per annum as professional fees as against the sum of N1,766,000.00 per annum, which was requested from the government and paid to Barr. Muhuyi. The external auditor only received the payment of N400,000.00 from Barr. Muhuyi, which encouraged the auditor to still hold the audit reports.
“Furthermore, one Isa Pilot also brought 62,500,000.00 (USD) to the Commission and handed it over to Barr. Muhuyi in respect of the case involving Gandun Sarki situated at Dorayi Karama, Kano, but the said amount of dollars was neither deposited in the Commission’s account nor in the custody of the exhibit keeper.
“The non-completion of the contract for the construction of the Commission’s local government offices, as indicated by the technical and financial reports from the local government councils, indicates that the payment was made without a valuation certificate from the Works Department, hence leading to an overpayment.
“Additionally, the Chairman of HT Development, Alhaji Aminu Rimin Gado, the company holding the construction of 21 local government offices, complained to the Commission that Barr. Muhuyi collected money from him to facilitate the award of the contract through the Ministry for Local Government.
“In the case of a criminal breach of trust by a public servant involving one of the district heads and others, a recovery of N8,000,000.00 from the district head was made.
“But Barr. Muhuyi released the sum of only N3,000,000.00 naira, which was shared among the heirs (the complaints), as against the said N8,000.000,00 that entirely belongs to the heirs. Whereas the sum of N5,000,000.00 naira was to be forfeited and deposited into the Kano State treasury as directed by Muhuyi, which is the legal rights and belongings of the complainants and not those of the Kano State Government.
“The sum of N260,100.00 that was recovered and deposited into the client’s account of the Commission on behalf of the complainants was withdrawn and utilized by Barr. Muhuyi’s expenditures, while the complainants have been visiting the Commission demanding their payment since 2021.
“During the investigation into the case of Darmanawa Gandun Sarki, the sum of 187 million naira was recovered on behalf of the Ado Bayaro Royal City Trust Fund (ABRCTF), and the sum of 50 million naira was released to the Emirate Council directly by Barr. Muhuyi, while the record did not indicate the whereabouts of the remaining 137 million naira.
“The Umbrella of Kano Concerned Civil Society Groups wishes to forward the aforementioned allegations leveled against Barr. Muhuyi Magaji Rimin Gado during his days in office, as requested by the 2023 GTC in its recent press release that any relevant information should be submitted in order to assist the incoming administration.
“We want the 2023 Gubernatorial Transition Committee to consider this issue as a matter of concern while investigating it to its logical conclusion, which would definitely resolve the level of controversy and open up the smokescreen tussling around.
“We also recommend that the incoming administration establish a committee for forensic auditing in order to find out the exact and precise facts as well as halt this stalemated imbroglio trending in the media from both sides, which is perplexing the public about the subject matter.
“We have the conviction that this matter will be treated with all sense of humanity and justice, as the people of Kano State are eagerly looking forward to knowing the veracity of the allegations or otherwise.
Court reinstates Muhuyi
Earlier, the National Industrial Court sitting in Kano ordered the reinstatement of Muhuyi Magaji Rimingado as the Chairman of Kano Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission (PCACC) with immediate effect.
The respondents in the case are the Kano State government and the State House of Assembly.
Delivering the judgement Tuesday, Justice Ebeye David Eseimo Isele, said the claimant was denied a fair hearing and that the Kano House of Assembly lacked the power whatsoever to dismiss or to recommend dismissal of the claimant without recourse to the principles of fair hearing.
The judge held that the claimant was consequently wrongfully dismissed and thereby ordered his reinstatement with immediate effect.
DailyNews24 reports that Muhuyi was summarily suspended and later removed from office by former Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje after the state assembly said it investigated and uncovered several anomalies against him.
But he told journalists that the then government decided to axe him because he was investigating some capital projects in which the name of the first family featured.
