The Kebbi House of Assembly on Wednesday suspended the Chairman of Fakai Local Government Area of the state, Alhaji Muhammad Mahuta, for alleged gross misconduct.
The decision followed the adoption of the report of the House Special Committee chaired by Alhaji Salihu Dangoje during plenary in Birnin Kebbi.
In his presentation, Dangoje said the committee investigated allegations bordering on the removal and attempted sale of five electrical transformers, illegal allocation of government farmlands, and breach of contract on the rehabilitation of Mahuta Dam.
He added that Mahuta had earlier told the committee that the transformers were taken for servicing with the permission of a Kebbi Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO) official, identified as one Malam Nasir, who failed to honour the committee’s invitation for clarification.
“However, on November 14, the council chairman appeared before the committee and confessed to involvement in the misappropriation of the five transformers, which were intended to be sold to one Alhaji Kabiru Dauda at N2.5 million each.
“The committee also discovered evidence of fund transfers into specific accounts linked to the illegal transaction,” the chairman stated.
Dangoje said the committee uncovered irregularities arising from negligence of duty by some council officials, which led to unlawful disposal of the farmlands.
He said the committee, therefore, recommended the immediate revocation of the allocations, as due process was not followed.
On the Mahuta Dam rehabilitation project, the lawmaker stated that the committee discovered inconsistencies in the chairman’s claim that the contract was awarded to ZBCC Company.
“The ZBCC project engineer denied being awarded any contract. He confirmed that their equipment was hired, and he was only engaged to supervise.
“The committee established that no company was awarded the contract despite payment of the contract sum,” he added.
