The Kano state government has finally break it’s silence over the alleged diversion of N6.5 billion linked to the Director General, Protocol Directorate, Kano State Government House, Alh. Abdullahi Rogo.
This was contained in a statement signed by the Director General, Media and Publicity Government House, Kano, Comrade Sanusi Bature DawakinTofa,a copy made available on Tuesday to press in Kano
However,it will be recalled that a League of Civil Society Organizations( CSO) numbering 20 organizations in Kano State, in earlier statement issues on the alleged scandal have demanded the immediate suspension and prosecution of senior government officials linked to an alleged of over N 7 billion corruption cases under investigation by the EFCC and ICPC.
But while speaking on the matter Comrade DawakinTofa, said” The
digital media space in the last few days has been awash with a series of false narratives bordering on the accountability, trust, and financial worthiness of some key political aides of the Kano State Government.”
The statement read” For clarity, the Office of Protocol in any government or institution is purely administrative in function. Its mandate is to coordinate official engagements, state visits, receptions, ceremonial events, and logistics including handling honorarium, and other interventions as well as special assignments. It is not an independent spending office and does not undertake any financial transactions outside established rules and approvals. Every action undertaken by the Protocol Office is done within the framework of the law and with the express approval of the government the under a designated budget code”
He added that” One of the ill-intended narratives, most likely sponsored, was a publication by a newspaper, a Kano-based online news platform, on August 22nd, 2025, which particularly drew government attention to the allegation of withdrawal and diversion of ₦6.5 billion from the state treasury.”
DawakinTofa,noted that ” Central to the case of purported misappropriation, already under litigation at the High Court, is the Director General, Protocol Directorate, Kano State Government House, Alh. Abdullahi Rogo”.
He therefore stated that ” Without prejudice to the ongoing litigation on the matter, the state government is obliged to avail the public with the nitty-gritty of the Directorate of Protocol’s operations at Kano Government House, which is not different from structures obtainable in all states and the federal government.”
DawakinTofa,then said” First ,
government makes bold to say every cash outflow into Ministries, Departments, and Agencies is properly budgeted with clear codes well spelt out in the fiscal policy of the state. Hence, no individual in government MDAs handles public funds without proper designated purpose.”
Accordibg to him” The Directorate of Protocol, Kano State Government, handles critical responsibilities in Government House and key operations in the Office of the Chief Executive of the state. These responsibilities cover but are not limited to logistics, accommodation, welfare, and management of the Governor’s itineraries within and outside the country.”
.”The Directorate of Protocol is equally entrusted to provide required logistics to VIPs and VVIPs, which include the Presidency, Ministers, foreign aides, and other diplomatic visitors on official state visits to the Governor. The large number of personalities captured in this category also includes ordinary citizens that mostly attract the special attention of the Governor”,he said
He further stated that “Expectedly, over 95 per cent of the responsibility of the Directorate of Protocol involves large volumes of financial transactions and more often than not, settles liabilities incurred on the state at the instance of His Excellency.”
He pointed out that” While the administration of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf will remain focused on governance and maintain its position on financial prudence, accountability, transparency, and zero tolerance for corruption, the government will not sacrifice the integrity of its aides to deliberate acts of political blackmail being orchestrated by unpatriotic elements of society.”
The government is also not in doubt of the credibility of the Director General, Directorate of Protocol, Government House, Hon. Abdullahi Ibrahim Rogo.
More importantly, the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) administration will remain open to lawful, fair, and unbiased criticism within the ambit of the law, but will not succumb to easy blackmail through misinformation.
Kano State Government is aware of the nefarious activities of a particular opposition group seeking to pull the present administration down. The opposition party is struggling hard, using the digital space to overblow the matter to misinform the general public.
While the government will allow them to continue running after shadows, we wish to also reawaken the consciousness of the public to how the immediate past Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, through the Protocol Directorate, spent over N20 billion from the state treasury in just three months between February and May 2023 after his party, the APC, lost woefully to the NNPP.
The previous administration recklessly governed Kano for eight corruption-driven years with traces of multiple accounts operated by the former First Lady and purchases of houses in Dubai and Saudi Arabia.
People of Kano have not forgotten the dollar-video scandal featuring the former Governor and immediate past Acting National Chairman of the APC, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.
Under the previous administration, land grabbing became a norm and taking over public assets became a hobby to the first family and their associates.
The government is aware that the opposition group in Kano has set up an office solely for writing petitions against officials of the present administration just to distract the leadership from fulfilling its campaign promises in an attempt to scandalise key officials and weaken their support for the governor in building a prosperous Kano.
However,a chieftain of All Progressives Congress Sanusi Shadi , who was former Commissioner of education then called on the state governor Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf,not to comment on this alleged scandal , before the the court they should allow judiciary to do it’s work
