Story Written By Abdullahi Jalaluddeen and Edited by Godwin Duru
Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission has arrested five persons including Alhaji Mohammed Kabawa, the Permanent Secretary of the state Ministry for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, over an alleged multi-billion naira drugs supply scam.
The Public Relations Officer of the commission, Kabiru I. Kabiru who disclosed this to Newsmen in Kano confirmed the arrests, adding that investigation is ongoing.
He said those arrested by the Commission includes the Chairman of the state branch of the Association for Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Abdullahi Bashir.who is also the chairman of Tarauni LGA.
Kabir noted that the suspects are accused of connivance to award a contract to Novomed Pharmaceuticals for the supply of drugs to thirty eight local government areas in the state, violating public procurement laws.
Preliminary investigations revealed that each of the thirty eight local government areas paid N9.1 million to Novomed for the procurement of drugs, but the drugs were not supplied.
The findings also revealed that Musa Garba Kwankwaso , Managing Director of Novomed who is also nephew to Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso was also arrested .
He maintained that all the suspects are cooperating with the commission’s investigation team.
Kabiru said that the commission is working to unravel the full extent of the scam and bring those responsible to justice.
He also confirmed that the suspects are in the commission’s custody as at the time of filing this report.
Abdullahi Jalaluddeen
