THE Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission, (PCACC) has invited Musa Garba, the nephew of a former governor of the state, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, in connection with an allegation of corruption relating to the procurement of drugs and medical equipment.
Garba is the managing director of Novomed Pharmaceuticals, a company fingered in the investigation.
The agency has also arrested the permanent secretary of Kano State Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ibrahim Muhammad Kabara, and the state’s Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) chairman, Abdullahi Ibrahim Bashir,
Bashir, also the interim council chairman of Tarauni Local Government was arrested alongside four others.
The anti-graft agency questioned the detained officials at the commission’s office on Tuesday, August 20.
A source close to the commission told the ICIR that the ALGON chairman confessed to having illegally directed the payment of N402.6 million for the procurement of drugs and medical equipment out of which N347.7 was paid by 38 local governments of the state before the commencement of the commission’s investigation.
The spokesperson of the PCACC, Kabiru Kabiru, confirmed the invitation to The ICIR in a chat on Wednesday.
“It is true, the investigation is still ongoing. We will brief you later. We are committed to ensuring that all those involved in this illegal act are held accountable,” Kabiru stated.
The arrested officials are suspected of breaching the Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission Law, the Public Procurement Law, and the Financial Management Law regarding their actions in awarding the contract for the supply of drugs and medical equipment to the 44 LGAs of the state without obtaining approval from the state Governor Kabir Abba Yusuf.
Recall that Yusuf denied knowledge of the contract and directed the chairman of PCACC, Muhuyi Rimingado, to launch an investigation into the allegation and report the outcomes for further necessary actions.
Kwankwanso, the presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in the 2023 general election, is widely believed as Governor Yufus political godfather.
A reporter with the ICIR
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