Former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje’s administration in Kano state has strongly denied the circulating story claiming that it obtained a N10 billion loan for the implementation of a Close Circuit Camera (CCTV) project in the state’s metropolitan area.
In an official statement released on Tuesday, Muhammad Garba, the former Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, dismissed the story attributed to a non-existent Civil Society Organization.
He asserted that the Coalition of Political Analysis Forum and Governance, supposedly behind the story, was hired with the sole purpose of discrediting the previous government by baselessly demanding an investigation into the alleged misappropriation of funds.
Garba stated, “To further confirm that they are fake, the so-called organization knew nothing about the project, and the hastiness with which their paymasters want them to be in the media exposes their clear intent. We, therefore, challenge them to provide evidence for the N10 billion Naira loan.”
He went on to clarify that when the CCTV project was initially conceived, both the State Executive Council and the Assembly officially granted approval, recognizing its significance in enhancing security in the state.
However, on July 1, 2022, a Federal High Court in Kano issued an injunction preventing the government from obtaining the loan.
The former Commissioner also highlighted that on July 19, the same court, presided over by Justice Abdullahi Muhammad Liman, acknowledged that it had been misled in the case by Yusuf Isyaku Rabi’u, the proprietor of another fictitious CSO called Kano First Forum.
Consequently, the court lifted the restraining order and transferred the case to a vacation judge in Abuja for further proceedings on the interlocutory order.
Garba emphasized, “Despite the importance of the CCTV camera project in fighting crime and enhancing security infrastructure, the loan facility could not be secured during the tenure of the Ganduje administration, leading to the inability to execute the project.”
He further revealed that the former government had intended to undertake the project as a testament to its recognition of its significance.
Additionally, there was a bill before the National Assembly, which had passed through the second reading, aiming to make the installation of CCTV cameras mandatory in private buildings and offices, further highlighting the importance of the project.
