Kano Anti-Corruption Withdraws Invitation of late Emir's Wives

The Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-corruption Commission on Thursday withdrew its earlier invitation on the two wives of late Kano Emir, Alhaji Ado Bayero and others over financial misappropriation.

The withdrawal of the invitation was announced in a letter dated 20th, June 2019 and signed by the Director Public Complaints and Mediation of the Commission, Malam Salisu Tahir on behalf of its Chairman, Muhyi Magaji.

It could be recalled that the Anti-Corruption Commission has invited over 30 people said to have benefitted from the expenditures of the N3.4 billon allegedly misappropriated by the Kano Emirate Council under the watch of Emir of Kano, His Highness Muhammad Sanusi II.

According to a letter of invitation addressed to the Secretary of Kano Emirate Council, the invitees are expected to report to the Commission’s office on Monday, June 24.

The letter dated June 17 and signed by Director, Public Complaints and Mediation, Salisu M. Tahir, on behalf of the chairman of the Commission stated that, "the Commission in the exercise of its power conferred to it under Section 9 and 15 of the Kano Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Law 2008 (as amended) is further investigating an alleged violation of Section 26 of the Commission’s enabling law in the management of Kano state Emirate Council funds.

"Consequent upon the above and pursuant to the provision of Section 31 (1) (a) and (b) of the Kano state Public Complaint and Anti-Corruption Law 2008 (as amended) you are requested to extend the commission's invitation to some personalities that the expenditures were incurred for them in respect of medical sponsorship to overseas to appear before this Commission along with relevant documents to shed more light on same."

 

Confirming the invitation, the chairman of the Commission, Muhuyi Magaji Rimingado said, "some persons have been penciled down for invitation because we have information that whenever we requested for information or documents they used to deny us and they engage in producing same apparently in Anticipation of court case. Therefore we decided to invite those necessary based on the available facts at hand.

"The recent issue is for medical trip overseas and we decided to invite the beneficiaries because even the accountant was not allowed to come to us, so we don't have anybody to ask.

"The issue of the emir's wives and any other person apart from the district heads we don't know them. It doesn't even come over any one of us that the emir's wife will be among those to benefit from medical assistance.

"And it became necessary for us to hear from them because there is no document suggesting that the money is spent for that purpose.  No referral letter from any hospital in Nigeria that warrants the need to travel abroad,  no any other documents to support the claim some the visited country read only overseas.

"So the invitation of the emir's family is not intentional it is an innocent move as part of our fact finding mission and if the emirate council will cooperate with us it will never lead to this. A staff of the council like accountant can provide us the necessary information."