FG brings forward substantial corruption charges against Kano anti-graft boss, Muhuyi Magaji

Muhuyi Magaji Rimin-Gado, the chairman of the PCACC (Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission) of Kano State, has been charged with a plethora of financial irregularities, including fake asset declarations, and gross abuse of office.

The Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) Registrar Binta Garba signed a notice dated November 1, 2023, outlining charges that levelled serious accusations against the anti-corruption activist.

He is scheduled to appear before the CCT on an alleged N394 million fraud.

Magaji was further charged with money laundering and corruption after it was alleged that he had unlawfully transferred an astounding N394 million into an account in his name.

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A long list of other violations were also included in the allegations, such as conflict of interest, making fraudulent asset reports, and receiving millions of naira in unexplained payments in his bank accounts.

A further claim concerns Magaji’s approval of an audit fee for Messrs Salihu Metala & Co. that is N1,766,666.06 annually, significantly more than the N600,000 that the auditing firm first requested.

The notice casts doubt on the character of the man tasked with fighting corruption by alleging that this action directly violates the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act.

In addition, there are allegations of intentional omissions from Magaji’s asset disclosure papers, which point specifically to bank accounts that aren’t publicly known that are held by First Bank for Africa, United Bank for Africa, and Sterling Bank. The accounts were purportedly left out for a number of years, raising questions about the anti-corruption chief’s integrity and transparency.

Part of the notice reads as follows: “On or about June 24, 2022, when you submitted your form CCB1 NO: KNSE149484, you did make a false declaration by omitting and refusing to declare Account No: 0010209467 maintained with Sterling Bank which has been in operation since May 2, 2016.” This meant that you violated the terms of Paragraph 11(2) of Fifth Schedule Part 1 to the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended and subject to punishment under Paragraphs 18 (1) and (2) of the same Constitution.

“THAT YOU, MUHUYI MAGAJI, did make a false declaration when you submitted your form CCBI NO: KNSE149484 sometime in 2015, 2020, and 2022 as the Executive Chairman of Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission of Kano State and thereby a public officer. You did this by omitting and refusing to declare Account No: 1010447759 maintained with United Bank for Africa, which has been in operation since May 2, 2016, and you thus violated the provisions of Paragraph 11(2) of Fifth Schedule Part 1 to the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended and are punishable under paragraphs 18 (1) and (2) of the same constitution.

“THAT YOU, MUHUYI MAGAJI, did make a false declaration when you submitted your form CCBI NO: KNSEI49484 sometime in 2015, 2020, and 2022 while you were the Executive Chairman of the Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission of Kano State and thus a public officer. You did this by omitting and refusing to declare Account No: 3088277784 maintained with First Bank for Africa, which has been in operation since May 2, 2016, and you thereby violated the provisions of Paragraph 11(2) of Fifth Schedule Part I to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended and are punishable under paragraphs 18 (1) and (2) of the same Constitution.

“THAT YOU, MUHUYI MAGAJI, received a total of 123,824;988.40 Naira only in your Zenith Bank Account Number l006752807 after your asset declaration of 2015 and 2022. This amount is not fairly attributable to your income, gifts, or loans, and you thereby violate the provisions of Section 15 (3) of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act CAP C15 LFN 2004. You are punishable under Section 23(1) and (2) of the same Act.” This occurred on or around January 3, 2020, to September 2, 2023, while you were a public officer.

“THAT YOU, MUHUYI MAGAJI, received a total of one hundred and ninety-two million nine hundred and twenty-one thousand six hundred and ninety-seven naira fifty-nine kobo (N192, 921, 697.59) after your 2015 and 2020 declaration of assets which is not fairly attributable to your income, gifts, or loans, and you thereby contravene the provisions of Section 15 (3) of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act CAP C15 LFN 2004 and you are punishable under Section 23(1) and (2) of the same Act.

“THAT YOU, MUHUYI MAGAJI, as the Executive Chairman of the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission and consequently a public officer, on or about March 19, 2021, in abuse of your office, applied and got approval for the payment of the sum of one million seven hundred and sixty-six naira (N1.766.666.06) only as professional audit fees per annum for the services of Messrs Salihu Metala & Co. when the actual fees are six hundred thousand naira (NG00,000) only annually submitted to your office by Messrs Salihu Maitala & Co. Consequently, you violate the provisions of Section 13 of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act CAP C15 LFN 2004 and are punishable under Section 23 (1) and (2) of the same Act.

“THAT YOU, MUHUYI MAGAJI, whilst being the Executive Chairman of Public Complaints and anti-corruption Commission of Kano state and thereby a public officer on or about 3rd January, 2018 to 4h September, 2023 after you submitted your asset declaration in 2015 you received a total credit of Sixty-nine Million ninety-six thousand seven hundred and nine Naira nineteen kobo (N69, 096,709.19) only in your Sterling Bank Account Nmber 0004851403 which is not fairly attributable to your income, gifts or loan and you thereby contravene the provisions of Section 15 (3) of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act CAP C1S LFN 2004 and punishable under Section 23(1) and (2) of the same Act,” one of the charges also read.

In the meantime, the CCT will meet in Kano on Thursday to discuss the issue.