The Kano state government has broken it’s silence over the recent allegations against the state governor’s Director General on Protocol, Abdullahi Rogo, accused of diverting N6.5 billion by the federal anti-graft agencies.
Following recent reports in the media calling on the state government to come clean on the matter and dismiss and prosecute the official involved, the Kano state government on Monday issued a statement through the office of the Director General, Media and Publicity, Sanusi Bature describing the matter as a blackmail.
The statement also described the rigorous duties as well as financial functions of the office of the governor’s protocol, while stating that entire scenario was sponsored by the opposition mechanism to bring down the administration.
The state government, despite claims by the federal anti-graft agencies and the case before the Federal High Court of having evidences of financial misconduct by the Kano government official, also declared that the officer involved, Abdullahi Rogo, has an undoubted credibility.
“While the administration of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf will remain focused on governance, and maintain its position on financial prudence, accountability, transparency and zero tolerance for corruption, the government will not sacrifice the the integrity of it’s aides to deliberate acts of political blackmail being orchestrated by unpatriotic elements of of society.
“The government is also not in doubt of the credibility of the Director General, Directorate of Protocol, Government House, Hon. Abdullahi Ibrahim Rogo” part of the statement reads.
However, the state government, ruled by the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) declares that it is open to lawful, fair, and unbiased criticism within the ambit of the law, but will not succumb to easy blackmail.
Further more, the state government, while claiming it is aware of activities of particular opposition group working to pull the state administration down, also revealed that the former governor Abdullahi Ganduje’s protocol directorate spent N20 billion from the state treasury in just three months between February and May 2023 after his party the All Progressive Congress (APC) lost election.
“While the government will allow them to continue running after shadows, we wish to also reawaken the consciousness of the public to how the immediate past Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, through the Protocol Directorate, spent over N20 billion from the state treasury in just three months between February and May 2023 after his party, the APC, lost woefully to the NNPP.
“The previous administration recklessly governed Kano for eight corruption-driven years with traces of multiple accounts operated by the former First Lady and purchases of houses in Dubai and Saudi Arabia.
“People of Kano have not forgotten the dollar-video scandal featuring the former Governor and immediate past Ag. National Chairman of the APC, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.
“Under the previous administration, land grabbing became a norm and taking over public assets became a hobby to the first family and their associates.
“The government is aware that the opposition group in Kano has set up an office solely for writing petitions against officials of the present administration just to distract the leadership from fulfilling its campaign promises in an attempt to scandalize key officials and weaken their support for the governor in building a prosperous Kano” Kano state government declares.
Media reports have recently claimed that the Director General of Protocol, Abdullahi Rogo, had allegedly returned the sum of N1,109,230,000 to the recovery account of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, (ICPC).
The anti-graft agencies were alleged to have discovered Rogo operating an account (0505572562) with Alternative Bank under the name AH Bello Business Solutions Limited, which recorded inflows of N3.06 billion and outflows of N2.59 billion between August 2024 and February 2025.
He was also accused of using personal Zenith Bank account (1003666925) which recorded N2.28 billion inflow and N2.26 billion outflow between January 2022 and January 2025, leaving a balance of N39.3 million.