Headlines
Suspended Accountant General Ahmed Idris seeks plea bargain – EFCC
Nasiru Yusuf
A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) heard on Wednesday that suspended Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), Ahmed Idris and three others have reached out to the Economic and Financial Crimes (EFCC) with a plea-bargain proposal in relation to their trial for alleged N109billion fraud.
KANO FOCUS reports that Idris, his Technical Assistant, Godfrey Olusegun Akindele; a director in the office of the AG-F, Mohammed Kudu Usman and a firm linked with Idris – Gezawa Commodity Market and Exchange Limited – were arraigned on July 22 on a 14-count charge bordering on money laundering, stealing and criminal breach of trust.
Lead prosecuting lawyer, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) said Idris reached out to him through a third party for a meeting to work on ways to achieve a plea bargain arrangement as a way out.
Jacobs added that since Section 270 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) provides for plea bargain, he agreed to meet with the defendants at an office of the EFCC, but on the condition that their lawyers and EFCC’s investigators (who handled the case) must be in attendance.
He said the meeting planned for the previous day (Tuesday) failed to hold because the defendants came without their lawyers.
Jacobs added that a lawyer from the first defendant’s (Idris’) legal team, who he identified as Kanayo, later came to where they were to meet to complain that they (the defendants’ lawyers) were not carried along.
“The first defendant sent a third party to me that he wanted a plea bargaining meeting and he wanted to meet me. That was (Tuesday) in the morning. And I replied that I can not meet the defendants in the absence of their counsel.
“I added that by the nature of our calling, we must be opened and transparent. Section 270 of ACJA allows plea bargain. I told them to come with their lawyer and let us meet at the EFCC office and that I will also invite the investigators to be at the meeting.
“Kanayo, one of the counsel in the legal team of the first defendant, came to meet me at the EFCC office in Wuse 2 and protested that they were not carried along and that his clients would not come for the meeting.
“I spoke with Chief Chris Uche, SAN (who heads the first defendan’s legal team) for about 30 minutes to let him know that we (the EFCC) did not invite them and that the planned meeting was at their instance.
“None of the defendant entered EFCC’s office. So, they did not attend any meeting at the EFCC office,” Jacobs said.
The prosecuting lawyer spoke in response to complaints by lawyers to the defendants, who claimed that the EFCC invited their clients the previous day and prevented them from meeting with the defendants, who they further claimed were at the office of the EFCC for the better part of the day.
Lawyer to Idris and Gezawa (1st and 4th defendants), Gordy Uche (SAN), at the commencement of proceedings, objected to an application by Jacobs to tender some statements made by the first defendant.
Uche argued that Jacobs should not be allowed to tender the statements because he (Uche) was yet to interview his client in relation to the documents.
He said: “I was to interview the first defendant on Tuesday, but I learnt he was in the office of the EFCC. We were, as counsel, not carried along.”
Uche argued that it was disrespectful of the court for the EFCC to invite the defendants without their lawyers’ knowledge when the case had already been charged to court.
He contended that the EFCC was expected to have concluded it’s investigation before charging the defendants to court.
Uche denied that his clients proposed plea bargain to the prosecution as claimed by Jacobs.
He said the standard practice was for the lawyer to a defendant to initiate such arrangement, not for such move to be made behind the lawyer to the defendant.
Uche prayed the court for adjournment to enable him confer with the first defendant .
Lawyers to Akindele and Usman (2nd and 3rd defendants) – Peter Abalaka and Ibrahim Isiyaku (SAN), who said they shared Uche’s position, also prayed for an adjournment to enable them confer with their clients.
Although Jacobs objected to the defence’s prayer for adjournment, Justice Jadesola Adeyemi-Ajayi acceded to the defendants’ request and adjourn further hearing till October 4 this year.
Earlier, the judge ordered the revocation of the bail granted to Usman when, at the mention of the case, he was not in court, forcing the judge to suspend proceedings.
Later, before the day’s proceeding ends, his lawyer applied orally that the bail be restored, stating that his client, though arrived the court late, was held back by traffic.
Isiyaku claimed that a truck fell on along the Airport Road, which occasioned heavy traffic and prevented his client from arriving court early.
Ruling, Justice Adeyemi-Ajayi granted Isiyaku’s application and restored Usman’s bail.
Headlines
Abdulaziz unveils project inspection initiative, trains APC social media inflluencers at Arewa media summit
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Media and Public Enlightenment, Abdulaziz Abdulaziz, has unveiled a regional project inspection initiative aimed at showcasing key development projects in Northern Nigeria, while urging journalists and social media influencers to uphold ethical communication and combat misinformation.
Speaking on Monday at the maiden Arewa Media Summit in Kano, organised by his office, Abdulaziz said the gathering was conceived to strengthen dialogue between government, citizens and the media through accountability, responsibility and ethical communication.
He said effective governance depends on transparency, responsible civic engagement and a professional media that serves as a bridge between leaders and the people through factual and balanced reporting.
The presidential aide also cautioned social media influencers, who command large online audiences, to verify information before publication and avoid content capable of creating division, particularly as the country approaches the 2027 general elections.
According to him, more than 100 All Progressives Congress (APC) social media communicators were trained ahead of the summit to enhance their capacity to communicate government policies, programmes and achievements effectively.
Abdulaziz also unveiled the Gani Ya Kori initiative, a regional project inspection tour designed to spotlight landmark projects executed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Northern state governors that have received limited public attention.
“The initiative will help ensure that citizens are adequately informed about development projects and government interventions across the region,” he said.
The summit also featured a keynote address by the Minister of Information and National Reorientation, Mohammed Idris, who urged journalists and social media influencers to deny bandits and terrorists the publicity they seek.
“The media has an indispensable role in denying violent extremists the publicity they seek while promoting unity, resilience and hope,” the minister said.
He stressed that democracy flourishes when government remains transparent, citizens participate responsibly and the media performs its constitutional role with professionalism, fairness and integrity.
Idris observed that while the digital revolution has transformed communication by making every smartphone a broadcasting platform, it has also accelerated the spread of fake news and disinformation capable of undermining national unity and public confidence.
Declaring the summit open, Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf called on other states to emulate Kano’s Special Reporters Initiative, through which more than 150 young people have been deployed to ministries, departments, agencies and the state’s 44 local government areas to strengthen government communication and public enlightenment.
KANO FOCUS reports that the summit attracted journalists, broadcasters, filmmakers, digital content creators, academics, policymakers and communication professionals from across Northern Nigeria to deliberate on the theme, “Government, Citizens: Accountability, Responsibility and Ethical Media Practice.”
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Kano State Government says it has executed 1,508 development projects worth more than N928 billion across the state’s 44 local government areas since Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf assumed office, with about 80 per cent of constituency projects awarded between 2023 and 2025 already completed.
KANO FOCUS reports that the Commissioner for Public Procurement, Projects Monitoring and Evaluation, Comrade Nura Iro Ma’aji Sumaila, disclosed this during an international press briefing on the administration’s infrastructure development programme.
According to Comrade Sumaila, the projects cover critical sectors including roads, urban renewal, education, healthcare, security and other social infrastructure.
He said 799 of the projects have been completed, while 709 are at various stages of execution. He added that the state is also implementing 619 constituency projects through members of the Kano State House of Assembly.
The commissioner noted that about 80 per cent of the constituency projects have been completed. However, he said some projects remain unfinished because of rising construction costs caused by inflation.
He said the government has submitted a request to Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf for an upward review of contract sums to enable contractors complete the affected projects.
Breakdown of projects
Comrade Sumaila said the administration spent over N169 billion on urban renewal projects, including road rehabilitation, drainage construction and other metropolitan infrastructure.
He said another N118 billion was committed to constructing five-kilometre roads in 38 local government areas to improve connectivity across the state.
According to him, the government also awarded contracts worth over N6.8 billion for the construction of Kano State Neighbourhood Watch security divisions in 36 local government areas.
He added that rural infrastructure projects covering education, healthcare and other social interventions across the 44 local government areas account for contracts valued at more than N397 billion, while other ongoing projects have a combined value of about N255 billion.
Commitment to transparency
The commissioner said the Ministry of Public Procurement, Projects Monitoring and Evaluation would continue to ensure compliance with due process and technical standards in the execution of government projects.
He said the ministry’s mandate includes monitoring projects to ensure value for money and prudent utilisation of public resources.
According to him, the administration’s investments in infrastructure are intended to improve mobility, strengthen security, expand access to education and healthcare, improve water supply and stimulate economic growth across the state.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Kano State has emerged as the highest-ranked sub-national government in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for education spending, according to the latest Sub-National Education Spending Index developed by the University of Paris.
KANO FOCUS reports that the ranking places Kano State first among 209 first-level sub-national governments across 15 ECOWAS member countries, underscoring the state’s growing reputation for prioritising investment in education.
According to the published index, Kano topped the rankings with an overall S-WAESI score of 87.21, outperforming other leading regions, including Dakar and Saint-Louis in Senegal. Lagos State was the second Nigerian state on the list, ranking 16th overall.
The assessment evaluated states and regions using the S-WAESI (Sub-National Weighted Aggregate Education Spending Index) methodology, which measures government commitment to education through indicators such as actual education expenditure, spending per student, budget execution, education priority, transparency and evidence-based reporting.
The methodology assigns 35 points to actual education spending, 25 points to spending per student, 20 points to budget execution, 10 points to education priority and 10 points to transparency.
The report indicated that Kano excelled largely due to its strong actual education spending and budget execution, making it the best-performing sub-national government in the region.
The ranking covered states, regions, districts and municipalities across Nigeria, Senegal, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Togo, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau and Cabo Verde.
Kano State Accountability Forum on Education (K-SAFE) said the recognition reflects Kano State Government’s sustained investment in expanding access to education, improving school infrastructure and strengthening educational planning and budget implementation.
KANO FOCUS reports that the achievement is expected to further boost the state’s profile as a leader in education reform within West Africa and provide additional momentum for ongoing efforts to improve learning outcomes across the state.
The latest ranking comes amid renewed attention on education financing across ECOWAS, with experts increasingly emphasising transparent budgeting, efficient resource utilisation and sustained public investment as critical drivers of quality education.
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Kano ranks best in ECOWAS on education spending index
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