The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) will arraign Zangina Galadima Zango, the Caretaker Chairman of Rimin Gado Local Government Area in Kano State, over the alleged illegal use of N9 million in LGA funds, in breach of a Supreme Court judgment on local government autonomy.
Dr. Musa Usman Aliyu SAN, the ICPC Chairman and CEO, will lead the arraignment in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CR/479/2024, filed on Wednesday, September 18, 2024.
In the charge sheet seen by Nairametrics, Zango, while serving as the Caretaker Chairman of Rimin Gado Local Government Area, is accused of indirectly using N9,150,000 from the funds allocated to the said Local Government Area for the purchase of drugs through Messrs. Novomed Pharmaceutical Limited.
ICPC Allegations
According to the ICPC Chairman, the defendant breached the judgment of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, which forbade caretaker chairmen of Local Government Areas in Nigeria from accessing LGA funds from the federation account.
The anti-graft agency also accused the defendant of engaging in such acts without the necessary approval, as enshrined in the law.
According to the ICPC’s proof of evidence, the Commission received an intelligence report regarding the alleged misuse of funds from the Rimin Gado Local Government Area for the purchase of drugs through Novomed Pharmaceuticals Limited, amounting to N9,150,000.00.
It alleged that, despite the contract sum exceeding the defendant’s approval limit, the defendant nominated and forwarded the name of Messrs. Novomed Pharmaceuticals Limited to the Ministry of Local Government Affairs, Kano State, for approval.
“While awaiting approval from the Ministry, the defendant awarded the alleged contract and paid the contractor, Novomed Pharmaceuticals Limited, the total contract sum of N9,150,000,” the ICPC stated.
The ICPC accused the defendant of making this expenditure as Caretaker Chairman and not as an elected Chairman of Rimin Gado Local Government Area, in breach of the Supreme Court judgment on local government autonomy.
“You reasonably ought to have known that these funds formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act, to wit: corruption, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18 (2) and punishable under Section 18 (3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022,” the ICPC 3-count charge partly reads.
Nairametrics gathered that a date has yet to be fixed for the arraignment by the court, so the defendant can take his plea.
The charges remain allegations pending hearing and determination by the courts.
Nairametrics also gathered that the defendant is in the custody of the ICPC.
What You Should Know
This matter represents the latest prosecution of the diversion of local government funds, in light of the Supreme Court judgment, which held that local government allocations should be accessed by chairmen who are democratically elected.
Recall that the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), had vowed to prosecute local government chairmen and councillors who tamper with FAAC allocations meant for their jurisdictions.
Fagbemi emphasized the Supreme Court’s ruling on local government autonomy, aiming to ensure that funds allocated to local governments are directly received and utilized by them, not by state governments.
He highlighted the absence of immunity for local government officials and warned of jail terms for those found misappropriating funds, urging them to prioritize grassroots development.
