Gov’s aide accuses ex-Kano deputy governor of diverting N308m prayer funds

The Special Adviser to the Kano State Governor on Tsangaya Education, Sheikh Musa Falaki, has accused former Kano Deputy Governor, Comrade Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, of diverting N308 million allegedly collected in the name of Islamic clerics for special prayers across the state’s 44 local government areas.

Speaking in an interview shared by Hikima Radio in Kano, Falaki said the former leadership of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) in Kano claimed that all 44 local councils contributed N44 million every month for seven months to fund the prayer programme.

Falaki said he and Sheikh Ibrahim Sheshi Maihula were expected to coordinate the prayers but claimed they were unaware that funds were being collected in their names.

He alleged that neither of them received any of the funds or organised the prayers.

According to Falaki: “The former leadership of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) in Kano claimed that the 44 local government councils contributed N44m every month for seven months to sponsor special prayers.”

He said they only became aware of the alleged payments after they were invited by the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission (PCACC) to answer questions during an investigation.

He said it was during the investigation that they learnt N44 million had allegedly been released every month for seven months, bringing the total to N308 million.

Falaki alleged that because the clerics neither received the money nor carried out the prayers, Gwarzo diverted the entire amount meant for the exercise.

He also claimed the matter was part of a wider PCACC investigation in which Gwarzo was reportedly asked to refund more than N700 million allegedly diverted from the accounts of Kano State’s 44 local government councils.

Gwarzo has not publicly responded to the allegations at press time.