Headlines
Gov Yusuf urges EFCC to release forensic report on Ganduje’s Dollar scandal
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Kano State Governor, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, has replied his predecessor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, over his claims of failure in governance in the current administration, insisting that Ganduje’s eight-year tenure represented failure and maladministration, following massive records of corruption, diversion pf piblic funds and sale of government properties that characterized it.
KANO FOCUS reports that Governor Yusuf, in a statement issued by his spokesperson, Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, and made available to journalists on Sunday, regretted that Ganduje shamelessly spoke about non-existent failure in the present administration of Kano state government, instead of facing the nemesis of corruption and political violence hanging around his neck.
Governor Yusuf insisted that Ganduje presided over two unproductive tenures characterised with siphoning public resources, inability to cater for the needs of Kano’s population, nepotism and bloodshed that left many families the mood of melancholy.
“Our eight months in office has remarkably outweighed Ganduje’s eight wasted years of political caricature and maladministration by all standards,” Governor Yusuf stated.
He advised the immediate-past Governor of the state, Abdullah Umar Ganduje to rather buckle up in defence of his already battered image at the court, instead of further exposing his impunity on the media space.
The governor was quoted in the statement, reminding Ganduje how his gross penchant for corruption has brought shame and disgrace to the good people of Kano, insisting that no amount of media campaign would hinder the process of bringing Ganduje to book on the glaring cases of corruption filed against him.
The statement further regretted that Ganduje could yet shamelessly muster the courage to defend himself in the media, despite the embarrassing video clip where he was caught, red-handed, stocking his large agbada pockets with dollars, a supposed kickback from a contractor; and other corrupt practices massively associated with his eight-year tenure during which he ran the affairs of Kano state as a family enterprise.
“We wish to reaffirm the present administration’s resolve and readiness to make anyone found guilty of corruption to face the full wrath of the law for thier intentional wrong doings,” the statement added.
Governor Yusuf, however, maintained that his administration is multifacetedly inclined, prioritizing focus and attention on socio-economic and physical infrastructure developments for the overall well-being of Kano and the good people of Kano state.
Governor Yusuf believes that for anyone to assume that efforts to unravel the issue of corruption charges against Ganduje and members of his immediate family is an attempt to cover up, clearly means, such category of people are either under false illusion or being economical with the truth.
For whatever option, Kano state government would advise the former Governor to show cause why his name, that of his family, and the entire people of Kano should permanently erase from the global embarrassment that the dollar video has generated.
The administration of Governor Yusuf emphasized that it would leave no stone unturned to pursuing the dollar video scandal to logical conclusion. He therefore requested the release of the forensic investigation conducted by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFFC) on “Gandollar saga” in 2018, for public consumption.
On the allegations of poor governance in Kano despite the increase in federal allocation, Governor Yusuf revealed that his administration is still struggling to recover from state of bankruptcy Ganduje plunged the state in the last eight years.
Apart from inheriting liability and debt running into over N300 billion from Ganduje’s administration occasioned by his reckless financial misconduct, Governor Yusuf said the immediate past APC government sold almost all the property and assets to Ganduje, members of his family, and his cronies.
He further stated that it is also glaring that Ganduje’s administration was associated with massive corruption, nepotism and intimidation of innocent citizens of Kano state, hence the reason for setting up two Judicial Commission of Inquiry”
Governor Yusuf added that for someone to believe the lies that our administration is a failure for justifying the huge resources in less than a year, means that the person has never been to Kano to see things for himself, or the person is an enemy of the state who simply want to malign our administration.
Governor Yusuf revealed that his government in Kano recorded life-changing initiatives to the good people of Kano state, part of which include the foreign post-graduate scholarship for first class students, payment of tuition fees and entrance examinations for hundreds of thousands of university and secondary schools students which Ganduje has never thought of doing such gesturein eight year, free maternal and child healthcare, renovations and equipping of some secondary healthcare facilities including HasiyaBayeroPaediatric Hospital which was restored from Ganduje’s crony who was allocated the over six billion worth hospital at the cost of six million naira, among many other modset achievments that have impacted positively on the lives of Kano people.
Additionally, Governor Yusuf has taken a bold step in paying the backlog of pension gratuity for the state pensioners who were denied their entitlements by Ganduje’s administration in the last eight years. We completed the abandoned five kilometre roads in some Local Government Areas.
Governor Yusuf has also distributed four batches of palliatives to hundred of thousands of Kano residents to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal and increase in price of food stuff. Kano residents still remembered how Ganduje’s administration kept food items meant to be distributed to the masses during Covid-19, under the sun and in the rain until they completely spoiled while other items were only brought out for distribution during 2023 elections, after greater percentage of the items were diverted and sold by his foot-soldiers.
While inagurating the JCI, Governor Yusuf said the first commission is to investigate issues related to misappropriation of public properties and assets while the second will investigate the cases of political violence and missing persons in the state. He wondered why Ganduje has started being jittery of the constitution of the commissions even when he has not been invited yet, to answer for his misdeeds.
According to the statement, the Governor is on the verge of restoring sanity from the spate of political thuggery which the immediate-past administration promoted; and disruption of election processes in both 2019 and 2023 when unsuspecting and hapless Kano people were maimed, injured, dehumanized, brutalized and killed by thugs loyal to the APC and Ganduje.
“We wish to categorically warn Ganduje to stop dragging the name of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu into his corruption saga, as we believe that our able and well respected President does not interfere into cases before the courts of competent jurisdiction, as we witnessed during our trying times at the Supreme Court when he allowed justice to prevail for the opposition parties,” Bature added in the statement.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, has commissioned a Quick Response Squad of the Multi-Agency Task Force on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, alongside operational equipment worth hundreds of millions of naira, as part of efforts to intensify the fight against drug abuse, thuggery and illicit trafficking.
KANO FOCUS reports that the commissioning took place on Thursday, marking another step in the state government’s efforts to tackle substance abuse through enforcement, rapid response, rehabilitation, skills acquisition and reintegration of affected persons into society.
Speaking at the ceremony, Gov Yusuf expressed satisfaction with what he described as progress recorded in the fight against drug abuse across the state.
“I am the happiest man in Kano today as we continue to push drug abuse down to the barest minimum,” he said.
The governor said the newly established squad would strengthen the operational capacity of the task force by enabling it to respond promptly to reports, drug-related incidents and emerging threats associated with illicit trafficking.
He explained that the provision of operational equipment was part of his administration’s commitment to equipping relevant agencies with the necessary tools to address the drug menace.
Gov Yusuf, however, stressed that the campaign should go beyond arrest and prosecution, noting that rehabilitated persons must be given opportunities to acquire skills and engage in legitimate economic activities.
He said the government would sustain skills acquisition and apprenticeship programmes to keep rehabilitated persons meaningfully engaged and reduce the risk of relapse into drug use and other criminal activities.
The governor commended the chairman and members of the task force for their dedication and commitment, saying the achievements recorded within a relatively short period demonstrated the importance of collaboration among government agencies and other stakeholders.
Accompanied by the Speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly, Jibril Ismaila Falgore, and other senior government officials, Gov Yusuf inspected the newly commissioned facility and the equipment procured for the task force.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Multi-Agency Task Force on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, Barr Muhyi Magaji Rimin Gado, said the Quick Response Squad and the newly acquired equipment would enhance the agency’s capacity to respond effectively to drug-related challenges.
He reaffirmed the task force’s commitment to sustaining its operations against substance abuse and illicit trafficking, assuring the governor that it would not relent in carrying out its mandate.
Barr Rimin Gado expressed appreciation to the governor for providing political and operational support, which he said had strengthened the task force’s activities.
He noted that tackling drug abuse required collective responsibility, involving government institutions, security and regulatory agencies, traditional and religious leaders, parents, communities and educational institutions.
The chairman pledged that the task force would sustain its preventive, enforcement, rehabilitation and reintegration programmes while strengthening collaboration with relevant stakeholders to reduce substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking in the state.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Nafisah Yusuf Hassan, a magistrate in Kano State, has been recommended for appointment as a judge of the Kano State High Court by the National Judicial Council (NJC).
KANO FOCUS reports that Hassan is among four judicial officers from Kano State recommended for elevation to the High Court bench out of 28 candidates selected nationwide.
The other nominees are Halima Yahuza Ahmad, Abdullahi Abdulsalam Bature and Musa Ibrahim Umar.
The NJC disclosed the recommendations in a statement issued by its Deputy Director of Information, Kemi Babalola-Ogedengbe, following its consideration of candidates for judicial appointments across the country.
The council said all recommended candidates were expected to be sworn in by their respective state governors without delay.
Hassan’s recommendation follows her years of service in the Kano State judiciary, where she has reportedly distinguished herself through diligence, professionalism and careful handling of cases.
She has been commended for her commitment to judicial ethics, diligence and fairness in the discharge of her responsibilities, achievements that contributed to her career progression within the judiciary.
Her elevation is part of a broader development in the Kano State judiciary, with four magistrates from the state successfully scaling the selection process for appointment to the High Court.
The four nominees were reportedly assessed during the selection exercise and demonstrated strong professional competence, while their service records were found to be free of adverse remarks.
Their recommendation marks a significant step in their judicial careers and is expected to strengthen the judicial workforce in Kano State upon their formal appointment.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Kano State Accountability Forum on Education (K-SAFE) says it has tracked nearly 1,000 education projects across the state as part of efforts to promote transparency, accountability and effective service delivery in the education sector.
KANO FOCUS the coalition’s Co-Chair, Dr Auwalu Halilu, disclosed this on Wednesday during an advocacy visit to the Kano State Ministry of Public Procurement and Project Monitoring.
Dr Halilu said K-SAFE had monitored projects in more than six local government areas, covering interventions implemented by the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Kano State Senior Secondary Education Management Board and Local Education Authorities (LEAs).
He explained that the monitoring exercise involved physical inspections and documentation of projects through photographs, videos and geographical locations.
According to him, reports of the findings had been submitted to relevant ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), highlighting projects that met required standards and those requiring further attention.
He cited Rimin Gado Local Government Area, where the coalition tracked more than 80 education projects, adding that it planned to extend the exercise to all 44 local government areas of the state.
The K-SAFE Co-Chair said the visit was aimed at presenting the coalition’s activities to the ministry and exploring areas of collaboration in procurement and project monitoring.
He called for the inclusion of civil society organisations in procurement and monitoring processes, particularly tender board activities and field inspections, to strengthen independent oversight and provide them with firsthand information on government projects.
Dr Halilu also requested the ministry’s support in organising capacity-building programmes for civil society organisations on procurement procedures, due process, project standardisation, monitoring and evaluation.
He said such training would enhance civil society organisations’ understanding of procurement regulations and the technical requirements guiding project implementation.
Responding, the Commissioner for Public Procurement and Project Monitoring, Dr Nura Iro Ma’aji, welcomed the delegation and acknowledged the coalition’s contributions to supporting the state government’s efforts in the education sector.
He expressed the ministry’s readiness to collaborate with K-SAFE through information sharing and other relevant engagements to strengthen accountability and ensure compliance with due process.
“From our side, we are ready to work together because we know what they have been doing to support Kano State Government in the education sector,” he said.
Dr Halilu further disclosed that the coalition and its partner organisations had carried out the monitoring exercise without financial sponsorship, describing it as a demonstration of their commitment to transparency and accountability.
He reaffirmed K-SAFE’s commitment to sustaining engagement with relevant government agencies, civil society organisations and the media to strengthen oversight of education projects across Kano State.
Mother of former Kano NUJ chairman Abbas Ibrahim dies at 91
Kano commissions Quick Response Squad to tackle drug abuse, thuggery
Nafisah Yusuf Hassan, three others recommended for appointment as Kano high court judges
K-SAFE tracks nearly 1,000 education projects in Kano, seeks procurement monitoring role
GSS Army Day Bukavu Wins Maiden Kano Secondary Schools Tug of War Championship
Indonesian scholar proposes waqf model to reform almajiri education in Nigeria
Veteran NTA manager Dahiru Biso loses wife at 58
Two suspected bandits killed, N10m ransom recovered in Kano
Gov Yusuf Joins APC Leaders at Kaduna Presidential Campaign Flag-Off as Kano Delegation Draws Attention
