CSOs demand suspension of Kano officials over alleged fraud

A coalition of 20 Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Kano has demanded the immediate suspension and prosecution of senior government officials linked to alleged corruption cases totaling over N7 billion currently under investigation by the EFCC and ICPC.

In a statement released on Sunday, the coalition declared that the state was “at a crossroads,” warning that the scandals have “shattered public trust and could derail the state’s economic stability.”

The statement was endorsed by over 20 civil society leaders, including Comrade Bala Abdullahi Gaduwama of Wuro Development Concerns, Yusha’u Sani Yankuzo of CEFSAN, and Fatima A. Ibrahim of the United Action for Democracy.

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The CSOs cited two recent corruption cases in their demand.

They recalled that on July 18, a newspaper reported that the ICPC had uncovered a ₦1.02 billion money laundering scheme allegedly involving the Chairman of the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission, Prof. Sani Lawan Malumfashi.

Barely a month later, another case was exposed in which the Director-General of Protocol, Government House, Kano, Abdullahi Ibrahim Rogo, was accused of diverting ₦6.5 billion through shell companies and bureau de change operators.

“These cases are not isolated incidents. They reflect a disturbing pattern of systemic abuse of public office, where state institutions are weaponised for personal enrichment. The implications are far-reaching and devastating,” the League warned.

Based on this, the coalition called on the government to suspend all implicated officials, cooperate with anti-graft agencies, and order an independent forensic audit of state finances.

“All officials implicated in these scandals must be suspended from office pending the outcome of investigations.

“The government must cooperate fully with the ICPC and EFCC to ensure swift and transparent prosecution,” the statement said.

The CSOs further warned that corruption in Kano has gone beyond the mere theft of public funds. “When elected officials and senior bureaucrats are implicated in grand corruption, it signals a breakdown of the social contract and breeds cynicism, apathy, and disillusionment among citizens,” the group stated.

The coalition also pushed for stronger legislative oversight, whistleblower protection, and the quarterly publication of state financial reports to ensure transparency.

The group concluded by urging residents to remain vigilant, stressing that “corruption is not just a crime; it is a betrayal of every child who goes to school without books, every patient who visits a hospital without medicine, and every citizen who dreams of a better tomorrow.”