The Kano State Government has inaugurated a 12-member committee to recover over ₦1.8 billion illegally deducted from civil servants’ salaries by private loan vendors.
Inaugurating the committee in his office, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Umar Faruq-Ibrahim, said the panel is tasked with investigating the deductions and ensuring the funds are refunded to the affected workers.
Faruq-Ibrahim explained that the monies were deducted by a private loan vendor from workers who obtained soft loans. He noted that an independent audit report revealed arbitrary and illegal deductions from the workers’ salaries.
“In February 2025, the government received complaints of illegal deductions from workers’ salaries in the name of loans. Upon investigation, an independent audit firm was engaged, and its report was presented to the State Executive Council,” he said.
The SSG added that the audit found multiple irregularities, including deductions exceeding the approved one-third salary limit. He stated that the council subsequently approved the formation of the committee to recover the funds and return them to the rightful owners.
He also clarified that the ₦1.8 billion in question was deducted by the private loan vendor, and not related to earlier allegations against the former Head of Service, Abdullahi Musa.
The committee is chaired by the Commissioner of Finance, Dr Ismaila Aliyu-Danmaraya, with Permanent Secretary (Establishment), Salisu Mustapha, as Secretary. Other members include the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Abdulkarim Kabiru-Maude (SAN), the Head of Civil Service, the Accountant-General, and other senior officials.
