Kaduna Debts: El-Rufai’s Ex-Officials to Appear Before Assembly Probe Committee

John Shiklam in Kaduna

The ad-hoc committee set up by the Kaduna State House of Assembly  to investigate the eight year administration of ex-governor Nasir El-Rufai has summoned some former and present government officials to appear before it.

El-Rufai was governor of the state from May 2015 to May 2023.

According to a statement by  the Media aide to the Speaker of the House, Suraj Bamalli, those summoned by the committee included Thomas Gyang former Commissioner, Ministry of Public Works and Infrastructure; and Ja’afaru Sani, former commissioner Ministry of Education.

 Also listed was Dr. Manzo  Maigari, former Agric commissioner (currently political adviser to the governor); Balarabe Aliyu, former Administrator, Zaria Metropolitan Authority; Phoebe Sukai, former Administrator, Kafanchan Metropolitan Authority and Mohammed Magaji; and former Managing Director, Kaduna State Roads Agency (KADRA), among others.

The house set up the committee on April 16,  following revelations by Governor Uba Sani of the state, that he inherited huge debts from his predecessor and was finding it difficult to pay workers salaries.

He said a large chunk of the state’s federal allocation was being  deducted for debt servicing. 

The governor had at a town hall  on May 30, 2024, said  he  inherited $587 million foreign debt, N85 billion local debt and N115 billion contractual liabilities from his predecessor.

Speaking in an interview with journalists in Kaduna, chairman of the committee, Henry Danjuma, said anyone indicted in the course of testifying before before the committee would be invited to answer questions.

“Anyone indicted in the course of hearing testimonies from those summoned before the committee, will be invited to respond to such indictment. Such indicted persons will be invited to appear based on the indictment,” he said.