By Abimbola Ogunnaike
At least eight personnel of the Kano Agricultural Supply Company Limited (KASCO) and others have been arrested on Saturday, 29 July, 2023 by the state anti-corruption agency (PCACC) over an alleged N4.3billion fraud perpetuated less than a year.
The state anti -graft also confirmed confiscation of properties including eight warehouses filled with several vehicles including heavy-duty trucks and Hilux, thousands of bags of fertilizer, soya beans, cement and Guinea corns among others suspected to have been purchased by the money allegedly diverted from the government coffers through two private entities.
In the court order placed at the entrance of the confiscated property, the erstwhile Managing Director of KASCO, Bala Inuwa Muhammad, who is said to be at large, was listed as the first of the nine respondents along with Najib Muhammad, Abdullahi Ibrahim, Aminu Sadiq, Umar Alhassan, Surajo Lawal, Safiyanu Tsakuwa, Nura Yusuf and Aminu Fagge Lawal.
The agency boss, Muhuyi Magaji, confirmed the development on Saturday to newsmen during an inspection of the confiscated property at Kubmotso LGA of the state.
According to Magaji, investigations had established the private entities used for the alleged fraud to be Association of Compassionate Friends, Limestone Processing Links
“This Association of Compassionate Friends was registered as an incorporated trustee in 2019 with the purpose of promoting and advancing the eradication of begging by children of the less privileged in the society, while Limestone Processing Links is a registered business name that got N480million,” he said.
