…Kano State in Turmoil as Anti-Graft Agencies Advance Probes
The political atmosphere in Kano State has been thrown into turbulence following fresh revelations linking Abdullahi Ibrahim Rogo, the Director-General of Protocol at Government House, to a massive ₦6.5 billion corruption scandal.
According to detailed statements made to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), several Bureau de Change operators confessed that they helped move huge sums of public funds at the request of Mr. Rogo. Investigators say the money was funneled through front companies such as H&M Nigeria Limited, A.Y. Maikifi Petroleum, and Ammas Oil & Gas Limited, with payments made for contracts that never existed. The cash was then converted to U.S. dollars through BDC operators and handed directly to Rogo.
Findings show that at least ₦1.17 billion from Kano’s federation allocation accounts was channeled through BDCs like “Kazo Nazo Global Resources” and “Namu Naku Ne,” effectively serving as conduits for the alleged diversion.
Financial trails uncovered by the anti-graft agencies paint an even bigger picture: between August 2024 and February 2025, one account linked to AH Bello Business Solutions received ₦3.06 billion and spent ₦2.59 billion. Rogo’s personal Zenith Bank account reportedly saw inflows totaling ₦2.28 billion over a three-year period, while another company account under his control, A.A. Rogo Nigeria Limited, recorded ₦54 million. Both accounts have now been frozen.
So far, over ₦1.1 billion has been returned to the ICPC recovery account, while the Federal High Court in Kano has ordered the permanent forfeiture of ₦142.2 million traced to the transactions.
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The scandal has drawn sharp reactions across the state. Civil society groups and prominent lawyer Abba Hikima have demanded full transparency, insisting that the government’s denials are not enough. They are calling for forensic audits, the suspension of implicated officials, and, where necessary, prosecution to ensure accountability.
The Kano State Government, however, has rejected the allegations outright, describing them as politically motivated. Officials maintain that the Protocol Directorate is purely administrative, responsible only for logistics, hospitality, and coordinating official visits. They insist that all government spending is documented, budgeted, and executed in line with official codes, portraying the allegations as a deliberate attempt to smear Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf ahead of the 2027 elections.
Despite the denials, pressure is mounting. With EFCC and ICPC already tracing funds and freezing accounts, and civil society pushing for accountability, the coming weeks are expected to be decisive in determining whether the scandal will be quietly buried under politics—or if Kano will see one of the most high-profile corruption prosecutions in its recent history.
