The Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission (PCACC) has accused Bala Inuwa, the former Managing Director of the Kano Agricultural Supply Company (KASCO), of fraudulently obtaining a court order to recover properties confiscated in connection with an ongoing investigation into his alleged misappropriation of N4 billion.
The Commission claims that Inuwa, along with his son and the Association of Compassionate Friends, diverted public funds that were intended for the development of Kano State’s agricultural sector. Zahraddeen Hamisu Kofar-Mata, the PCACC Secretary and Legal Adviser, described Inuwa’s actions as a “desperate attempt to illegally reclaim assets acquired with proceeds of crime.”
Kofar-Mata expressed the Commission’s shock upon learning that a court judgment was obtained against the police, not the PCACC, which had filed the case. He called the process fraudulent, stating that the court had been misled into issuing the judgment. The judgment, issued by Justice Aisha Yau of the Kano State High Court, allegedly allowed Inuwa to withdraw N190 million from frozen bank accounts containing suspected illicit funds.
Kofar-Mata further revealed that the judgment was presented to the police by Inuwa’s representatives, despite the fact that the case had not been filed by the police. He described this as a calculated move to circumvent legal procedures and exploit the system.
The PCACC acted quickly when they received intelligence that Inuwa’s representatives were attempting to remove valuable assets from a warehouse in Kumbotso Local Government Area. “We rushed to the warehouse when we learned they were trying to cart away articulated vehicles, tractors, and hundreds of bags of cement, among other items,” Kofar-Mata confirmed. The site has since been sealed, and police officers are guarding the location.
The Commission is currently investigating Inuwa on criminal charges of conspiracy and misappropriation. He is facing trial before Justice Hafsat Yahaya of High Court 11. According to Kofar-Mata, between August 2022 and April 2023, a total of N4.67 billion was credited to KASCO from the state’s Federal Allocation Account as grants. The investigation revealed that these funds were diverted into personal accounts, constituting a violation of the Penal Code.
The PCACC has applied for a stay of execution on the judgment and for it to be set aside. Although over N790 million remains frozen in three bank accounts, part of the funds were withdrawn as a result of the fraudulent judgment. Efforts to reach Inuwa for comment were unsuccessful, as his phone was switched off at the time of reporting.
