A Kano-based civil society organisation, One Kano Agenda (OKA), has petitioned the Kano State House of Assembly, calling for a thorough investigation into allegations that former Deputy Governor Comrade Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo diverted ₦308 million allegedly earmarked for special prayer programmes across the state’s 44 local government areas.
In a petition addressed to the Speaker of the Assembly and signed by the organisation’s Director-General, Ambassador Abbas Abdullahi Yakasai, OKA urged lawmakers to investigate the allegations and recommend prosecution if any wrongdoing is established.
The petition followed allegations made by the Special Adviser to the Kano State Governor on Tsangaya Education, Sheikh Musa Falaki, who claimed that more than ₦300 million released for clerics to conduct special prayers over a seven-month period was diverted.
According to the petition, Sheikh Falaki alleged that each of the 44 local government councils contributed funds monthly for the prayer programme, which was to be coordinated by himself and Sheikh Ibrahim Sheshi Maihula. However, the clerics reportedly denied receiving any money or conducting the prayer sessions for which the funds were allegedly approved.
OKA stated that the allegations have sparked widespread public concern over transparency and accountability in the management of public resources. The group also noted claims that the issue could be part of a broader investigation into the management of local government funds involving additional sums running into hundreds of millions of naira.
The organisation urged the Assembly to conduct an independent legislative investigation, invite all relevant parties—including the former deputy governor, ALGON officials, the two clerics, and the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission—to clarify the allegations. It also requested lawmakers to establish the actual amount involved, determine whether due process was followed, recommend appropriate legal or administrative action where necessary, and ensure the recovery of any misappropriated public funds.
OKA stressed that its petition was not intended to presume the guilt of any individual but was aimed at promoting transparency, accountability, and due process while strengthening public confidence in governance. It emphasized that all allegations should be thoroughly investigated in line with the law before any conclusions are reached.