By Usman Usman Garba
The Kano State Government (KNSG) has dismissed allegations of mismanagement of N1.8 billion against the immediate past Head of Service, Abdullahi Musa, describing the claims as false and misleading.
The clarification was made by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Umar Farouk Ibrahim, following a directive issued by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf during the 2026 Workers’ Day celebration, mandating a thorough investigation into the matter.
In a statement issued on Saturday by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mustapha Muhammad, it was revealed that the controversy stemmed from claims made by the Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Kano State chapter, Comrade Kabiru Inuwa, who alleged that the former Head of Service had mismanaged state funds.
According to the statement, the SSG addressed the issue during a Dinner and Award Night organised by the Kano State Government in collaboration with the NLC at the Government House, Kano.
Alhaji Umar Farouk Ibrahim explained that the N1.8 billion in question was not mismanaged by any government official but was instead linked to excessive deductions from civil servants’ salaries by loan vendors.
He disclosed that, in line with the governor’s directive, the SSG’s office engaged a professional auditing firm to examine the state’s payroll system as well as the accounts of affected civil servants within the period under review.
The SSG further noted that the loan scheme was temporarily suspended to facilitate a comprehensive audit process.
Findings from the audit, he said, revealed that several loan vendors had imposed charges far above the agreed terms, leading to unlawful deductions from workers’ salaries.
He added that the independent audit uncovered that the vendors had illegally accumulated over N1.8 billion through these excessive charges.
Consequently, Alhaji Ibrahim announced that the Kano State Government has directed the affected loan vendors to refund the N1.8 billion, which will be redistributed to the affected civil servants.
The government reiterated its commitment to protecting the welfare of workers and ensuring transparency and accountability in all financial dealings.
