On Thursday, protesters from Kaduna Citizens Watch for Good Governance (KCWGG) gathered at the Government House in Kaduna. They demanded the investigation and arrest of former Governor Mallam Nasir El-Rufai. They called on current Governor Uba Sani to involve the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other agencies to prosecute El-Rufai for allegedly mishandling N423 billion during his administration. The protesters carried placards and sang solidarity songs.
Some of the placards read: “We will occupy all MDAs to chase out all indicted persons in the report” and “Stop servicing all loans that did not follow due process.” Governor Uba Sani had revealed in a town hall meeting on March 30, 2024, that the state was burdened with significant debt—$587 million, N85 billion, and 115 contractual liabilities—left by the previous administration. This debt consumed over 70% of the state’s allocation.
The Kaduna State House of Assembly formed an ad-hoc committee to review financial transactions from May 29, 2015, to May 29, 2023. The committee, led by Barrister Henry Danjuma Magaji, presented its findings on June 5, 2024. The report exposed substantial unaccounted funds and financial irregularities, including mismanaged funds, diverted loans, overpayments to contractors, and a lack of transparency.
Speaking to journalists, the Chairman of KCWGG, Comrade Victor Duniya, highlighted the group’s concerns about financial mismanagement and increasing debt. He noted the diversion of 10.5 billion naira intended for pastoral nomadism and the construction of a milk industry to build Galaxy Mall in Kaduna. The report also found overpayments to contractors, payments to unregistered companies, and incomplete projects totaling over 36.3 billion naira. It revealed undocumented withdrawals from the state treasury and 11 billion naira spent on a non-existent MRT transportation scheme.
Comrade Duniya urged Governor Sani to act on the committee’s findings and forward the report to anti-corruption agencies to recover the state’s resources. Later, the Deputy Governor, Dr. Hadiza Balarabe, and other officials, including the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Abdulkadir Meyere, and Deputy Chief of Staff, Umar Hassan Waziri, met with Comrade Duniya behind closed doors.
Victoria Ibiama
