2025

The Kano State Government has dismissed reports alleging that the State Civil Service Commission (CSC) was selling employment application forms, describing the claims as false and misleading. The clarification was contained in a statement issued on Sunday in Kano by the Commission’s Director of Public Enlightenment, Musbahu Aminu Yakasai. “The Kano CSC noted with concern the circulation of false information suggesting that employment application forms are being sold to prospective job seekers,” the statement said. Read Also: OSN Annual Conference Opens with Free Cataract Surgeries in Kano It emphasised that the Commission has never authorised the sale of recruitment forms. “At no time has the Commission sanctioned the sale of application forms for recruitment into the State Civil Service. This claim is entirely untrue and should be disregarded in its entirety,” Yakasai added. The CSC urged the public to rely only on official government channels for authentic information, stressing that all recruitment announcements would be issued through approved platforms. It reiterated its commitment to transparency, accountability, and due process in recruitment exercises, warning that anyone caught defrauding applicants in its name would face prosecution. “For credible and official information on the activities of the Commission, the public is advised to always use government-approved communication channels or visit the Kano State Civil Service Commission office at Audu Bako Secretariat, Kano,” the statement concluded.

The League of Civil Society Organizations in Kano State has called for the immediate suspension and prosecution of senior government officials implicated in two multi-billion naira corruption scandals currently under investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC). In a statement on Sunday, the coalition warned that Kano was “at a crossroads,” saying the revelations had “shattered public trust and could derail the state’s economic stability.” On July 18, Nigerian Tribune reported that the ICPC uncovered a N1.02 billion money laundering scheme allegedly involving the Chairman of the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission, Prof. Sani Lawan Malumfashi, alongside two senior officials of the commission. Barely a month later, Daily Nigerian exposed another case in which the Director-General of Protocol at the Kano Government House, Abdullahi Ibrahim Rogo, was accused of diverting N6.5 billion through shell companies and bureau de change operators. Read Also: Kano Governor’s Protocol Chief Caught in N6.5bn Corruption Scandal “These cases are not isolated incidents,” the League said. “They reflect a disturbing pattern of systemic abuse of public office, where state institutions are weaponised for personal enrichment. The implications are far-reaching and devastating.” The coalition demanded that all implicated officials be suspended pending the outcome of investigations, while urging the Kano State Government to cooperate fully with the EFCC and ICPC. It also called for an independent forensic audit of state finances. The statement, endorsed by over 20 civil society leaders including Comrade Bala Abdullahi Gaduwama of Wuro Development Concerns, Yusha’u Sani Yankuzo of CEFSAN, and Fatima A. Ibrahim of the United Action for Democracy, further pressed for quarterly publication of state financial reports, stronger legislative oversight, and whistleblower protection. The CSOs cautioned that corruption in Kano had gone beyond theft of public funds. “When elected officials and senior bureaucrats are implicated in grand corruption, it signals a breakdown of the social contract and breeds cynicism, apathy, and disillusionment among citizens,” the statement read. They also urged residents to remain vigilant, stressing that “corruption is not just a crime; it is a betrayal of every child who goes to school without books, every patient who visits a hospital without medicine, and every citizen who dreams of a better tomorrow.”

The Director-General of Protocol to the Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Rogo, has been implicated in a N6.5 billion corruption scandal currently under investigation by Nigeria’s foremost anti-graft agencies, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Investigators allege that Rogo diverted state funds through suspicious companies, bureau de change operators, and personal accounts. ICPC documents show that over N1.3 billion has already been recovered, including monies traced to corporate fronts and his private accounts. Court-Ordered Forfeiture On 2 July 2025, the Federal High Court in Kano ordered the final forfeiture of N142 million linked to Rogo. The sum had earlier been placed under interim forfeiture in May, following an ex parte motion by the ICPC. With no claimant stepping forward, the court ruled the funds were proceeds of corruption. Read Also: Appointment of Mustapha Bala Dawaki as APC Chief of Staff Sparks Jubilation in Kano But investigators insist this represents only a fraction of the illicit transactions traced to the governor’s aide. Complex Money Trails The ICPC identified companies allegedly used as laundering fronts, including H&M Nigeria Limited, A.Y. Maikifi Petroleum, and Ammas Oil and Gas Limited. According to investigators, A.Y. Maikifi Petroleum and Ammas Oil diverted N1.17 billion, laundered through bureau de change operators and allegedly delivered in cash to Rogo. One account at Alternative Bank, opened in the name of AH Bello Business Solutions Ltd., reportedly served as a private laundering channel. Between August 2024 and February 2025, it recorded inflows of N3.07 billion and outflows of N2.6 billion before the N142.2 million balance was seized by court order. Rogo’s Zenith Bank accounts were also flagged: one personal account received N2.28 billion in inflows over three years, while another corporate account recorded N54.1 million. Both have since been frozen under “Post No Debit” restrictions. Legal Counterattack In February 2025, Rogo filed a suit at the Kano State High Court (Bichi Division) accusing ICPC and EFCC of harassment, intimidation, and double jeopardy. He argued that repeated invitations from the two agencies violated his rights and disrupted his official duties. He sought N20 million in damages, N2 million in costs, and an injunction restraining further investigations. Both ICPC and EFCC opposed the suit, arguing that their actions were lawful and within their statutory mandates. They stressed that double jeopardy applies only to trial, not investigations. However, on 18 August 2025, Justice Musa Ahmad ruled in favour of Rogo, restraining the agencies from further investigating him and awarding N2 million in costs. The judge held that, while his rights had not yet been violated, the overlapping invitations created a likelihood of breach. The ICPC has vowed to appeal, describing the judgment as a setback in the fight against corruption.