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Battle Against Corruption Is Like Fighting Colombian Drug Cartels, Says Kano Anti-Corruption Tzar

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9 months ago

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The fight against corruption in Nigeria is as dangerous as fighting armed Colombian drug cartels, former Chairman of Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission (PCACC), Muhyi Magaji Rimin Gado, has said.

The Medellín Cartel led by Pablo Escobar and the Cali Cartel dominated cocaine trafficking, leading Colombia to vast illicit wealth for the few whose crimes promoted corruption, violence, mass public revenge, and prolonged bloody gunfights with the authorities. The PCACC was established in April 2005 to fight corruption in Kano State.

Mr. Magaji also warned that the increase in violence and banditry in the North is partly linked to the naked abuse and stealing of public funds by corrupt officials whose self-serving policies create a stagnant pool of poverty and human misery from which criminals find many potential recruits.

He said it was when he started investigating corruption petitions, doing his statutory duties, that he discovered the suspect companies were linked to his former Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, discovering that a lot of Public-Private Partnership Initiatives were actually linked to the former Governor. He said he also discovered billions of illicit funds relating to the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), especially concerning fraudulent land rents.

The anti-corruption crusader said his experience while investigating an avalanche of corruption cases in Kano indicated that corrupt politicians are like cancerous ailments that should be removed through a painful but necessary surgical operation before Nigeria can reclaim her pride in the comity of nations.

He said Nigerians should explore democratic opportunities to the brim by casting their votes against a league of corrupt elites that have sold the birthrights of the people.

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He said his decision to investigate the looting of billions of public funds in Kano State under former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje spurred ceaseless threats to his life and that of his family, culminating in his arrest last week Friday by tens of armed security guards who drove him from Kano to Abuja in the night where he was locked up. He said for 17 hours he and his family were subjected to harrowing experiences. He said the armed men bundled him into a vehicle where he was sandwiched between armed policemen who drove in the night from Kano to Abuja in order to gag him. He said if armed bandits had attacked the convoy, there was only a slim chance that any of them would escape.

“The cases I started investigating in Kano involved billions of public funds diverted by public officials. They are desperate to kill in order to sit on stolen funds. They are as dangerous as drug cartels in Colombia. Fighting them is like fighting drug lords.”

He said corruption cannot be fought effectively when law enforcement agents are compromised by the same corrupt politicians who have no respect for accountability.

Rimin Gado said some policemen are currently being used against him by powerful but stupendously corrupt politicians who feed on the misery of the toiling masses. He said he was deeply concerned that the Police initiated criminal investigation into a judicial process, duly initiated under Section 211 of the Nigerian Constitution, and that it is prejudicial for the police to hunt and malign someone who has filed corruption charges on behalf of the State against politicians that consistently ruin the frontiers of democracy and human prosperity.

“I was given fiat by the Attorney General to prosecute allegations of offenses against the laws of Kano State. Why arrest me for doing what I have a legal duty to do? Why not arrest the State if they can?

“The police have no legal or moral reasons to enquire about what is already before the Court of Law, especially a criminal matter which the court had already taken cognizance of,” he said.

He spoke as a Keynote Speaker on the topic Youth as Catalyst of Integrity: Building a Corruption-Free Future for Nigeria, at the Public Presentation of the 19th Edition of the Compendium on 100 Profile Corruption Cases in Nigeria held in Lagos on Tuesday. The event was organised by the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre) in partnership with local and international groups to mark this year’s International Anti-Corruption Day celebration. The theme of the conference was Uniting with Youth Against Corruption: Shaping Tomorrow’s Integrity.

Rimin Gado said from his experience in Kano, corrupt politicians are as vicious as the world’s most violent drug lords who are prepared to kill and burn the country down rather than face justice or give up their crimes. He said prosperity and development in Nigeria would remain stunted as long as corrupt actors dominate the political economy.

 

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KANSIEC Chairman Advises Fruits Sellers Association to Modernize Business

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5 hours ago

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September 12, 2026

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The Fruits Sellers Association, Kano State Chapter, has been advised to develop a strategic plan within a specific timeframe to modernize its business operations.

The Chairman of the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission, KANSIEC, Professor Sani Lawal Malumfashi, gave the advice during a courtesy visit by members of the association to his office.

Professor Malumfashi stated that the fruit business anywhere in the world serves customers from all backgrounds, both rich and poor, due to the importance of fruits in food consumption.

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He maintained that the association should seek recognition across the three tiers of government in order to benefit from government policies and programmes.

The KANSIEC Chairman added that the present administration under the Executive Governor, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, is transforming Kano into a modern metropolitan city with many parks. He said fruit sellers should secure designated spaces around the corners of flyovers across the city.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Fruits Sellers Association of Nigeria, Kano State Chapter, Alhaji Safiyanu Abdullahi, said they visited KANSIEC to seek guidance on how to conduct free, fair, and peaceful elections within the association.

Bashir Habib Yahya
Media Aide to the KANSIEC Chairman
Date: 11/09/2026

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Breaking :Former PDP National Chairman Alhaji Bamanga Tukur Is Dead

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8 hours ago

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September 12, 2026

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Former Chairman of the peoples Democratic party during Jonathan’s administration Alhaji Bamanga Tukur is dead .

A credible source in Yola the capital of Adamawa state informed Nigerian Tracker that Alhaji Bamanga Tukur passes on in Abuja.

The source said his body will later be conveyed to Yola the capital of Adamawa state for funeral at the palace of Lamidon Adamawa Alhaji Muhammad Barkindo .

 

Alhaji Dr. Bamanga Mahmud Tukur (CON) was a prominent Nigerian politician, businessman, administrator, and elder statesman who has had a towering impact on Nigeria’s socio-political and economic sectors for over six decades.

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He was widely recognized for his roles as the former Governor of the old Gongola State, the former Minister of Industries, and the former National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

Early Life and EducationDate of Birth: Born on 15 September 1935 in what is today Adamawa State, Nigeria.

Higher Education: He obtained a Master of Science (M.Sc.) degree from the University of Pittsburgh in the United States.

Honorary Recognition: He was awarded an honorary Doctorate Degree in Law (Honoris Causa) by Benue State University in Makurdi, Nigeria.

Traditional Titles: Reflecting his high regional and cultural status, he holds the distinguished traditional titles of Tafidan Adamawa and Wakilin Ganye in Adamawa State.

Career in Public Service & Governance
Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA):
Served as General Manager/Chief Executive from 1975 to 1982, managing port congestion and modernizing seaports.

Governor of Old Gongola State: Elected during the Second Republic in 1982, serving a brief term before the December 1983 military coup.

Minister for Industries: Served under General Sani Abacha’s military administration from 1993 to 1995.

Business and Continental Leadership Founder of BHI Holdings (Daddo Group),

Tukur expanded his economic influence across Africa:

Africa Business Roundtable (ABR): Founder, past president, and Life Patron.

NEPAD Business Group: Elected Chairman in March 2002.

International Maritime Stature: First African Vice President of the International Association of Ports and Harbours (IAPH)

PDP National Chairmanship (2012–2014)Elected PDP National Chairman in March 2012.

 

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Nigeria’s Oil Output Hits 1.573m bpd as OPEC Production Rises–Report Says

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1 day ago

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September 11, 2026

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

Nigeria’s crude oil production, excluding condensate, rose by 35,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 1.573 million bpd in August 2026, from 1.537 million bpd in July, according to the latest data from the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

The increase, representing a 2.3 per cent month-on-month (MoM) growth, places Nigeria among OPEC members that recorded higher production during the month.

OPEC, in its latest monthly data based on direct communication from member countries, said Nigeria’s August output was its highest monthly production level in the data provided for 2026.

The August figure also exceeded Nigeria’s average production of 1.552 million bpd in the second quarter of 2026, indicating a gradual improvement in upstream output.

The development comes amid renewed efforts by the Federal Government and oil producers to boost production through improved security, fresh upstream investments, new projects and the rehabilitation of existing assets.

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Across OPEC, crude oil production increased by 346,000 bpd to 24.081 million bpd in August, from 23.735 million bpd in July.

Iraq recorded the largest increase among OPEC members, with output surging by 664,000 bpd to 3.378 million bpd. Kuwait followed with a 49,000-bpd increase to 1.894 million bpd, while the United Arab Emirates added 54,000 bpd to reach 3.835 million bpd.

Venezuela also increased production by 23,000 bpd to 1.145 million bpd.

However, some major producers recorded declines. Saudi Arabia’s output fell by 75,000 bpd to 7.276 million bpd, while Algeria and Libya declined by 8,000 bpd and 9,000 bpd to 999,000 bpd and 1.355 million bpd respectively.

Iran recorded the largest decline, with production dropping by 399,000 bpd to 2.086 million bpd.

Beyond OPEC, total production by the broader OPEC+ group, comprising OPEC members and participating non-OPEC producers under the Declaration of Cooperation (DoC), rose by 297,000 bpd to 38.055 million bpd in August.

Within the non-OPEC DoC group, Kazakhstan increased production by 159,000 bpd to 1.807 million bpd, while Russia cut output by 160,000 bpd to 8.718 million bpd.

For Nigeria, the latest production increase could provide some relief to government revenue and foreign exchange earnings, given the continued importance of crude oil exports to the economy.

Nigeria has set a target of raising crude oil production towards three million bpd by 2030, making sustained increases essential to achieving the ambition.

However, the country still faces significant challenges, including ageing fields, infrastructure constraints, crude theft, funding difficulties and the need to attract new investment into the upstream sector.

The August performance therefore represents progress, but maintaining the upward trend will be crucial if Nigeria is to close the gap between current production and its ambitious 2030 target.

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