EFCC arrests Kano Assembly ex-speaker Ali-Danja over N1.5bn fraud
NEWS DIGEST – The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday arrested a former Speaker and now minority leader of the Kano State House of Assembly, Isiyaku Ali-Danja for alleged abuse of office and misappropriation of fund meant for constituency projects.
A statement by the EFCC’s acting Head of Media and Publicity, Tony Orilade, said the lawmaker’s arrest was effected by the Kano State Zonal Office of the commission, following a petition.
According to the statement, Mr Danja was reported to have diverted the funds meant for payment of tax liabilities to Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, by Kano State Government but allegedly diverted and misappropriated the tune of over N1, 500,000 from the sub-treasury account of the state government.
“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.
Read Also:
“Investigation by the EFCC further revealed that the funds were on several occasions, personally withdrawn in cash by the suspect, while he was the only one who could officially state whether jobs were done before any payments could be made.
“It would be recalled that the EFCC had earlier arrested the commissioner for Special Duties in 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 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 statement added.
The petitioner further alleged that Mukhtar ordered the deduction of N30, 000 (Thirty Thousand Naira), from the account of each council member without justification.
Mr Mukhtar was also alleged to have converted property of Kofar Nassarawa Primary School, Kano, into shops and sold same at the rate of N10,000,000 (Ten Million Naira), per shop and diverted the money to personal use.
Both suspects would be charged to court on completion of investigations.
