Gov Yusuf’s aide allegedly returns over N1.1bn to ICPC amid corruption probe

The Director General of Protocol at the Kano State Government House, Abdullahi Ibrahim-Rogo, has reportedly returned the sum of ₦1,109,230,000 to the recovery account of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

Ibrahim-Rogo, a close aide to Governor Abba Kabir-Yusuf, is under investigation by both the ICPC and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over allegations of siphoning state funds through proxies.

According to court filings, the EFCC traced about ₦6.5 billion allegedly paid out for fictitious contracts that were neither awarded nor executed.

Rogo was said to have offered confessional statement at the anti-graft agency, but later headed to the Kano State High Court, Bichi Division in a bid to prevent his arrest and prosecution.

In their counter-affidavits deposed before the commissioner of oaths, both ICPC and EFCC said there was strong evidence that the suspects committed the offence.

During the court session, a litigation officer at the ICPC, David Nelson Efut, prayed the court to dismiss the fundamental rights suit filed by Mr. Rogo, “That I also know as a matter of fact this action was brought mala fide with the aim of restraining the 1st Respondent by this Court from discharging its statutory mandates as captured under section 6[a]of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000, and from uncovering the truth of the matter.

“That it is in the interest of justice that the instant application be dismissed for lacking in merit and same being frivolous, vexatious, speculative and an abuse of court process.”

However, Justice M.N. Yunusa of the Federal High Court, Kano, has ordered the permanent forfeiture of the N142.2 million balance to the ICPC.

Checks further revealed that Mr Rogo operates an account [0505572562] with Alternative Bank under the name AH Bello Business Solutions Limited, which recorded inflows of N3.06 billion and outflows of N2.59 billion between August 2024 and February 2025.

(BlueprintNewspaper)