CCB arraigns Kano anti-graft chair over ‘N390m fraud’

Muhuyi Magaji, chairman of the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Graft Commission (PCCAC), has been arranged before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) in Abuja.

Magaji was arraigned on Thursday on a 10-count charge over alleged breach of the code of conduct for public officers, conflict of interest, abuse of office, false asset declaration, bribery, and accepting gifts, among others.

The defendant pleaded not guilty and was granted bail in the sum of N5 million with two sureties.

According to the tribunal, the sureties must have landed properties in the federal capital territory (FCT).

In a statement on Saturday, Veronica Kato, Code of Conduct (CCB) spokesperson, said investigations showed the existence of undisclosed bank accounts to the tune of N394 million, thereby raising suspicion of corruption.

In 2022, Magaji was sacked by Abdullahi Ganduje, immediate-past governor of Kano, on allegations bordering on abuse of office.

But on June 21, Abba Yusuf, the incumbent governor of Kano, approved the reinstatement of Magaji as PCACC chair.

Magaji vowed to investigate a video that appears to show Ganduje, now national chair of the All Progressives Congress (APC), receiving kickbacks in dollars from a contractor in 2017.

In August, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICCPC) and CCB sent an invitation to the Kano PCACC and its officials to answer questions concerning the activities of the commission from 2011 to date.

The Kano state government then sued the federal government in court over what it described as harassment and intimidation of the PCACC by three federal agencies.

Farouk Adamu, judge of a Kano state high court, in an ex parte order, asked the federal agencies and their agents to stop questioning or investigating officials of the PCACC.