former kano state governor mallam ibrahim shekarau is been investigated for 420 million naira by the ICPC

The anti-graft agency says allegations that the former Kano State governor misappropriated N420 million are worth investigating. The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) is to investigate former governor of Kano State, Ibrahim Shekarau, over an alleged N420 million fraud and misappropriation of public funds.
The announcement was made in a statement issued in Abuja by the Commission's Resident Consultant, Folu Olamiti, on Thursday.
It said that a Kano based nongovernmental organisation had, in a petition forwarded to the anti-graft agency, alleged that Shekarau indulged in some “unwholesome acts” in breach of several provisions of the ICPC Act 2000.
The NGO alleged that Shekarau, who contested for president in the April 2011 general elections, committed fraud, abused power, inflated contracts sums, awarded double contracts and engaged in many other vices in gross violation of the ICPC Act.
The petitioner alleged further that Shekarau engaged in diversion and embezzlement of billions of naira belonging to the state government through an ambiguous expenditure referred to as “reciprocal arrangement”.
Other allegations include: that Shekarau awarded the construction of an 11-bedroom apartment to himself to the tune of N286,434,168.51 while in office; awarded contracts to a company in which he had substantial interest; and as well as paying for some furniture twice.
“Following the petition, the ICPC team of investigators visited the state where it uncovered a lot of financial malpractice in the award of contracts as claimed by the petitioner,” the statement said. “The report was submitted to the acting chairman of the Commission, Abdullahi Bako, by the investigators, and a prima facie case was established against the former governor.”
It said the report stated that the contractor handling the project was mobilised “with the sum of N119,330,955.91 on October 18, 2007, representing 50 per cent of the contract sum, contrary to section 35 of the Procurement Act which provided for 15 per cent mobilisation for any contract awarded”.
Shekarau was further alleged to have ordered the release of several millions of naira to the contractor handling the project without referring to the financial regulation and ignoring advice from the state Ministry of Lands.
The statement added that the contractor and officials of the state’s Ministry of Works had made statements to the anti-graft agency on the issues raised by the petitioner.
“Consequently, the acting chairman of the commission has directed that the ex-governor be invited to answer questions raised in the petition,” the statement said.