The Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission has arrested one Tasiu Adamu Maje over the alleged illegal sale and leasing of a government-owned horse stable at the Race Course, popularly known as Filin Sukuwa, Kano.
The Acting Chairman of the agency, Hafsat Kutama, confirmed the arrest of the suspect in a statement released on Wednesday.
She said the arrest followed an investigation prompted by complaints lodged by Muhammad Amir Yunusa and Usman Bala Yakasai, who alleged that the suspect transferred and offered the property to private individuals without lawful authority.
“The arrest followed an investigation prompted by complaints lodged by one Muhammad Amir Yunusa and Usman Bala Yakasai (Sharif), who alleged that the suspect transferred and offered the property to private individuals without lawful authority,” the statement said.
It explained that the commission’s investigation revealed that the purported transactions were carried out without the knowledge or approval of the Kano State Sports Commission, the statutory body responsible for the allocation and management of horse stables in the state.
“Findings of the investigation
“In the course of its investigation, the commission invited and interviewed individuals connected to the transactions and established that the Kano State Sports Commission was not aware of, and did not authorise, any transaction involving the horse stable.
“The horse stable has not been officially allocated to any individual, whether by sale or by lease. The document relied upon by the suspect in the purported transaction was found not to be an approved or recognised document of the Kano State Sports Commission.”
According to the statement, the suspect allegedly agreed to sell the horse stable to Muhammad Amir Yunusa for N4.5m, while simultaneously collecting rent from Usman Bala Yakasai in the sum of N180,000, of which N150,000 was reportedly paid.
“The commission is taking steps to recover the horse stable and return it to the Kano State Sports Commission, while the suspect is expected to be arraigned before a court of competent jurisdiction,” the statement added.
The commission warned people against converting government property into private assets or sources of personal profit, stressing that such conduct would not be tolerated.
