Kano Government House Official in ₦6.5bn Contract Scandal

The Director General of Protocol at the Kano Government House, Abdullahi Rogo, has come under intense scrutiny after reportedly refunding ₦1.1 billion to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) recovery account.

Court filings reveal that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) traced ₦6.5 billion allegedly paid out for non-existent contracts that were neither awarded nor executed.

Investigators said Rogo confessed during interrogation by the EFCC, but later approached the Kano State High Court, Bichi Division, seeking protection against further arrest and prosecution.

In their counter-affidavits, both the EFCC and ICPC argued that there was substantial evidence linking Rogo to the alleged fraud. ICPC litigation officer, David Nelson Efut, urged the court to dismiss Rogo’s fundamental rights suit, describing it as frivolous and aimed at obstructing the commission’s statutory duties.

“It is in the interest of justice that the application be dismissed for lacking merit and being an abuse of court process,” Efut submitted.

Ruling on the matter, Justice M.N. Yunusa of the Federal High Court, Kano, ordered the permanent forfeiture of ₦142.2 million, the remaining balance in Rogo’s linked accounts to the ICPC.

According to financial records obtained by investigators, Rogo operated an account under AH Bello Business Solutions Limited with Alternative Bank, which recorded inflows of ₦3.06 billion and outflows of ₦2.59 billion between August 2024 and February 2025. His personal Zenith Bank account reportedly received ₦2.28 billion in deposits and saw ₦2.26 billion withdrawals within three years, leaving a balance of ₦39.3 million.

The case underscores renewed efforts by Nigeria’s anti-graft agencies to crack down on public sector fraud and recover looted funds.