The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has summoned and questioned former Kano State Governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, regarding an alleged N2.5 billion pension fraud.
A source within the anti-graft agency, speaking to The PUNCH under conditions of anonymity, disclosed, “Kwankwaso was summoned in relation to the purported misappropriation of N2.5 billion in Kano pension funds. Following thorough interrogation, he has furnished investigators with some pertinent information.”
Another source noted, “Former Kano governor, Kwankwaso has been invited by the commission. He has been grilled, and we’re continuing with our investigation.”
When contacted over the development, the spokesperson for the EFCC, Dele Oyewale declined to comment.
Recall that in March 2023, the Abuja Zonal Command of the EFCC handed over documents of properties and 324 houses recovered from the Kano State pensioners to them.
The EFCC spokesman said the handover of the houses was occasioned by a final forfeiture order granted by Justice I.E. Ekwo of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.
He added that the forfeiture was a result of successful investigations carried out by the EFCC over a N4.1bn Pension Trust Fund contributed by the pensioners to own houses, which was fraudulently denied by two successive administrations in Kano State.
Oyewale said, “The commission investigated a petition by Concerned Kano State Workers and Pensioners of alleged misappropriation of pension funds in the state. Findings by the EFCC showed that the state government entered into a tripartite agreement with the Kano State Pension Trust Fund to build housing estates for an aggregate sum of N41bn, out of which the Pension Trust Fund was to contribute N4.1bn.
“However, the contribution of the pensioners was used to build the houses in three estates located in Sheikh Ja’afar Mahmud Adam Bandirawo city, Sheikh Nasiru Kabara (Amana) city, and Sheikh Khalifa Ishaq Rabiu city, all in Kano State, and two former governors of the state fraudulently discounted and sold the houses to their cronies and associates, leaving the pension trustees with low budget and uncompleted houses.
“The EFCC stepped in and upon completion of the investigation, filed for and acquired a final forfeiture order of the 324 properties to the Kano State Pension Fund Trustees.
“While handing over the documents of the 324 properties worth N4.1bn to the pensioners on Monday, March 18, 2024, the Abuja Zonal Commander of the EFCC, Assistant Commander of the EFCC, Adeniyi Adebayo, assured that the EFCC would continue to do its best to rid the nation of fraudulent practices.
“Representatives of the Kano State Pension Board, Alhaji Hassan Muhammed Aminu, Kubra Ahmad Bichi, and Salisu Yakubu Abubakar, who received the documents on behalf of the workers and pensioners, expressed delight and joy with the EFCC for assisting them in recovering their houses.”
The EFCC probe of Kwankwaso comes amid political tension between the ruling New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) he leads in Kano and the All Progressives Congress (APC) led by the immediate-past governor, Abdullahi Ganduje.
Last week, the state Assembly loyal to Kwankwanso’s political godson and incumbent governor, Abba Yusuf, reversed the splitting of the Kano emirate into five by Ganduje in 2020.
Yusuf restored a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Lamido Sanusi, who Ganduje dethroned as the Emir of Kano during his administration in 2020.
