Falaki accuses Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo of diverting N308m prayer funds

The Special Adviser to the Kano State Governor on Tsangaya Education, Sheikh Musa Falaki, has accused former Deputy Governor, Comrade Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, of diverting N308 million allegedly contributed by the 44 local government councils in Kano State to finance special prayer sessions.

Falaki made the allegation during a video interview aired on a local radio station, claiming that funds earmarked for religious activities across the state were released in the names of clerics who neither received the money nor conducted the prayers.

According to him, the former leadership of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) in Kano informed him that the state’s 44 local government councils had agreed to contribute N44 million monthly to sponsor special prayer sessions.

He said he and Sheikh Ibrahim Sheshi Maihula were appointed to coordinate the programme.

“The local governments were said to be contributing N44 million every month for special prayers across the state, and we were told that Sheikh Ibrahim Sheshi Maihula and I would coordinate the programme,” Falaki said.

Falaki, however, alleged that neither he nor Sheikh Maihula received any funds connected with the exercise.

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He explained that they only became aware that money had allegedly been released in their names after they were invited by the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission (PCACC) as part of an ongoing investigation.

“We were surprised when the commission invited us. That was when we learnt that money had allegedly been released in our names for the prayers,” he stated.

According to Falaki, investigators informed them that N44 million was allegedly disbursed every month for seven months, amounting to a total of N308 million.

He maintained that since the clerics neither received the funds nor organised the prayer sessions, the money could not have been used for the intended purpose.

Falaki further alleged that the matter forms part of a broader investigation by the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission into the management of funds belonging to the state’s 44 local government councils.

He also claimed that investigators had requested Comrade Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo to refund more than N700 million allegedly diverted from the treasuries of the local government councils.

As of the time of filing this report, Comrade Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo had not publicly responded to the allegations.

The Historica Nigeria reports that the allegations remain unproven, and investigations by the relevant authorities are ongoing.