Kano anti-graft agency probes N1.5bn foreign scholarship fraud

The Kano State Anti-corruption and Public Complaints Commission has commenced an investigation into alleged N1.5 billion foreign scholarship fraud.

The commission is questioning two top officials the state Ministry of Higher Education regarding the issue of 1,001 students purportedly studying in India and Kenya.

The Kano State Government sponsored 1,001 postgraduate students to pursue their master’s degrees abroad.

The initiative is part of the government’s foreign scholarship scheme which was inaugurated by Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf.

Yusuf recently hosted a farewell dinner for the first batch of 550 beneficiaries of the scholarship at the Government House, commending former Governor Rabi’u Kwankwaso for introducing the scheme.

It was, however, learnt that only 418 students were sent abroad for studies, raising questions about the whereabouts of the remaining students.

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When contacted, the commission’s Public Relations Officer, Kabiru Kabiru, confirmed the report, saying the two top officials were interrogated over the alleged scholarship scam.

He said an investigation was ongoing to identify and bring those responsible for the alleged scam to justice.

“Preliminary investigations uncovered fraudulent activities at the office of the Ministry for High Education over the postgraduate students to pursue their master’s degrees in India and Uganda.

“We opened investigation to find out the truth of matter. Whoever is found to have been involved, will be prosecuted, no matter how highly placed,” Kabiru told NAN.

The Star