The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has begun investigating former Kano State governor Rabiu Kwankwaso over alleged N2.5bn pension fraud.
A source confirmed this to PUNCH on Thursday, saying, “Former Kano governor, Kwakwanso has been invited by the commission . He has been grilled, and we’re continuing with our investigation.”
However, EFCC’s spokesman Dele Oyewale declined comment.
In March 2023, the Abuja Zonal Command of the EFCC handed over documents of property and 324 houses recovered for the Kano State pensioners to them.
Oyewale said this was made possible by a final forfeiture order granted by Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Oyewale said, “The commission investigated a petition by Concerned Kano State Workers and Pensioners of alleged misappropriation of pension funds in the state. Findings by the EFCC showed that the state government entered into a tripartite agreement with the Kano State Pension Trust Fund to build housing estates for an aggregate sum of N41bn, out of which the Pension Trust Fund was to contribute N4.1bn.
“However, the contribution of the pensioners was used to build the houses in three estates located in Sheikh Ja’afar Mahmud Adam Bandirawo city, Sheikh Nasiru Kabara (Amana) city and Sheikh Khalifa Ishaq Rabiu city, all in Kano State and two former governors of the state fraudulently discounted and sold the houses to their cronies and associates, leaving the pension trustees with low budget and uncompleted houses.”
