The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has said its Kano Zonal Office on Tuesday arrested the former Speaker and now Minority Leader of the Kano State House of Assembly, Isiyaku Ali Danja, over alleged abuse of office and misappropriation of funds meant for constituency projects.
Acting spokesman of the EFCC, Tony Orilade, in a statement said Danja got into trouble following a petition that funds meant for payment of tax liabilities to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) by Kano State Government were allegedly diverted and misappropriated to the tune of over N1.5billion from the sub-treasury account of the state government.
He said several suspicious payments were allegedly traced to some beneficiaries, including some made to Allad Drilling Limited, a company in which the suspect is the sole signatory.
He said an investigation by the EFCC further revealed that the funds were on several occasions, personally withdrawn in cash by the suspect, while he was the only one who could officially state whether jobs were done before any payments could be made.
Orilade recalled that the EFCC had earlier arrested the commissioner for Special Duties in the state, Mukhtar Ishaq, for allegedly diverting funds meant for Kano Municipal Local Government while he was chairman of the said local government.
Mukhtar was arrested by the EFCC following a petition that alleged that while he was chairman of Kano Municipal, he diverted funds meant for projects, development, and empowerment of the people.
The petitioner further alleged that Mukhtar ordered the deduction of N30,000:00 from the account of each council member without justification.
Orilade said Mukhtar was also alleged to have converted property of Kofar Nasarawa Primary School, Kano, into shops and sold same at the rate of N10million per shop and diverted the money to personal use.
He said both suspects would be charged to court on completion of the investigation.
