The Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission has apprehended the education secretary, a school headteacher, and three others in connection with the illegal dismantling and sale of school furniture and metal materials from a primary school in Kumbotso Local Government Area.
The suspects were reportedly caught in the act on the school premises on Saturday. The Senior Special Assistant to the Kano State Governor on Anti-Corruption, Mallam Sani Umar Sani, confirmed the arrests on Sunday. He stated that local residents, who were out exercising early on Saturday morning, noticed suspicious activity and noise coming from Gaidar Makada Special Primary School in Kumbotso.
According to Sani, one resident, who lives near the school, observed a man accompanied by some young boys entering the school after a brief interaction with the security guard. Shortly thereafter, the resident heard loud noises from the classrooms and decided to investigate. He discovered that the school furniture was being dismantled, and the metal components were being assembled for removal.
The concerned resident immediately alerted Mallam AbdulGafar Sanusi Garba, the Chairman of the School-Based Management Committee, who was unaware of the situation. The Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) Chairman, Mallam Alkassim Muhammad, was also informed. Both Garba and Muhammad disclosed that they had been dismissed by the school headteacher before their tenures had officially ended. They further stated that they had reported their dismissal to the local government education secretary, but no action had been taken.
When confronted, the suspects claimed they were dismantling the furniture on the orders of the school authorities to sell it. The resident recorded the incident and notified the state anti-corruption agency.
A source within the commission, who requested anonymity, revealed that one of the arrested individuals was a merchant who had purchased metal and iron rods from the dismantled furniture. The furniture, valued at over ₦2 million, was allegedly sold by the suspects for just ₦250,000.
The anti-graft agency has launched a full investigation into the incident, and those arrested are currently in custody. A reliable source at the commission suggested that similar activities might be occurring in other primary schools across the state. In response, the commission is reportedly developing software to inventory school equipment statewide and notify authorities of any tampering.
