Undoubtedly, Nigerians are interested in seeing what comes out of the ongoing probe of the Kano State Public Complaint and Anti-Corruption Commission by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB)
The two federal agencies began a probe of the Kano anti-graft Commission shortly after the Commission’s chairperson, Muhuyi Magaji, announced investigation of the alleged dollar bribery video of the All Progressives Congress (APC) chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje.
We recall that efforts by the Magaji-led Kano State Public Complaint and Anti-Corruption Commission to probe the incident in which former Governor Ganduje was alleged to be stuffing dollars into the pockets of his garment, did not scale through under the immediate past administration.
In November 2018, a Kano High Court issued an order stopping the state House of Assembly Investigative Committee from investigating the dollar video. The court also ordered all other parties involved in the investigation to maintain status quo ante, pending the determination of the originating summons filed by the National Coordinator of Lawyers for Sustainable Democracy in Nigeria, Mohammed Zubair.
However, shortly after his reinstatement by Governor Abba Yusuf, Magaji, who was suspended during the administration of former Governor Umar Ganduje, announced the restart of the probe of the incident.
As Magaji and the Kano state anti-graft agency were trying to settle down to commence the probe, the two federal agencies opened investigation into the finances of the Kano anti-graft agency and Magaji’s records fueling widespread speculations that the overall plan is to stall Ganduje’s probe.
In separate letters, EFCC and CCB wrote to the Kano State Public Complaint and Anti-Corruption Commission about their investigation of Magaji. Specifically, the CCB, in a letter signed by its Director of Intelligence, Investigation and Monitoring, Gwimi S. P., and addressed to the Kano anti-corruption commission, said it has launched an investigation into the alleged violation of the Code of Public Officers by Magaji.
“Under the mandate and powers of the Bureau as enshrined in the 3rd Schedule, Part 1, paragraph 3(e) to the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, the Code of Conduct Bureau is investigating a case of alleged violation of the Code of Public Officers against a staff of your organisation by name Muhuyi Magaji Gado”
The CCB enjoined the Kano anti-graft agency to furnish it with certified True Copies (CTC) of detailed information on Magaji’s letter of appointment/acceptance, salary pay slips from July 2020 to August 2023, and records of service.
Similarly, the EFCC requested the Director of Finance of the Kano anti-graft agency to furnish it with relevant transactions involving Magaji including details of total funds released to the agency by the Kano State ministry of local government from 2019 to 2021 including contracts executed.
There are widespread concerns, especially among Kano citizens, that the probe by the two federal agencies, may well be a plot to frustrate the moves to investigate Ganduje’s alleged bribery video. If not, how come the probe is coming shortly after Magaji insisted on investigating the dollar video incident?
The fact that both EFCC and CCB have powers to investigate agencies like the Kano state Public Complaint and Anti-Corruption Commission is not in question. However, the worry is as it pertains to the possibility of political interference.
While not pandering to this view, we believe that the timing of the two agencies’ probe cannot just be coincidental. Given the latitude to suggest, we will recommend that EFCC and CCB should, first of all, allow the Kano agency to conclude its probe of the dollar video saga before opening their investigation of Kano commission.
Should they insist on proceeding with the probe, both the EFCC and CCB will do well to convince discerning Nigerians, through the diligent manner with which they handle the Kano agency’s probe, that their intent is to uncover fraud and mismanagement of public funds and not necessarily to push under the carpet the shady deals perpetrated by someone high up.
It is pertinent to note that the dollar video incident is a matter of public interest. To that extent, therefore, we are compelled to suggest that the probe of that incident must not be truncated by undue political influence. Nigerians and, in particular, the good people of Kano state, deserve to know the truth no matter how inconveniencing it is to the powers that be. It is necessary, in our opinion, for the EFCC for instance, to do all it takes to uncover the circumstances behind it and, we dare say, in a very transparent manner.
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