Report accuses ex- Katsina electoral commission director of withdrawing N546m from SIEC account without value for money

By solacebase.com On Mar 17, 2025

Audit Report , Katsina electoral commission, withdrawal ,SIEC ,account ,money — Katsina Gov. Umar Dikko Radda

By Aminu Abubakar

A review of the Katsina State Auditor General’s report for the year ended December 2023 by SolaceBase has revealed significant alleged financial mismanagement and accountability concerns across several government agencies.

The audit highlights multiple cases of unaccounted expenditures, contract irregularities, and missing funds, raising concerns over governance and financial transparency in the state.

N546 Million Withdrawn Without Value for Money

One of the report’s most alarming findings concerns Aliyu Abubakar, a former Finance Director of the State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC), who allegedly withdrew N546 million without any justifiable value.

According to the report, Abubakar withdrew N511.8 million in cash and transferred N34.4 million, but the transferred amount could not be traced.

The report explicitly states:

“There is an unresolved issue in SIEC regarding cash withdrawal by the commission’s former Director Finance, (Aliyu Abubakar), without commission receiving value for withdrawals and transfers that could not be traced.”

This raises serious concerns about accountability within the electoral commission, as such large withdrawals without a trace indicate possible misappropriation of public funds.

Unfulfilled N103 Million Contract for Garbage Trucks

Another irregularity highlighted in the audit involves a N103 million contract awarded to Kabir Danlami Rimi on February 20, 2017, for the purchase of three garbage swing trucks. The contract stipulated that the trucks be delivered by April 2017, but the contractor failed to fulfill the agreement.

As a result, the contractor was directed to refund the payment for non-performance. However, while N47,000,000.00 was refunded, it was deposited into SEPA’s Expenditure Account instead of the Accountant General’s Central Account, which is a violation of financial procedures.

The report states:

“The SEPA should refund the sum of N47,000,000.00 to the Central Account, and the Contractor should refund the balance of N56,000,000.00.”

This means that N56 million is still outstanding, and the report calls for urgent action to ensure full recovery of the funds.

N407.2 Million in Unaccounted Expenditures at the Transport Authority

The Katsina State Transport Authority was also flagged in the report for failing to account for N407.2 million in expenditures. The audit states that this amount was spent without proper documentation, raising suspicions of financial mismanagement.

Additionally, the report highlights that another N24 million in revenue was unaccounted for, meaning funds that were supposed to be generated by the authority could not be traced to the state’s accounts.

N1.99 Billion Contract Abandoned by KAIBO International Nig. Ltd

Another major concern in the audit report is a N1,996,861,690.85 contract awarded to KAIBO INTERNATIONAL NIG Ltd on April 27, 2016, for a project that was expected to be completed within 18 months.

The company was given an advance payment of N796,744,676.30, which was bonded and guaranteed by Diamond/Access Bank Plc. However, the audit revealed that the company abandoned the site and failed to make any reasonable progress on the project.

Due to the company’s inability to justify the use of the advance payment, the Auditor General directed the Ministry of Works to take immediate action to recover the remaining N213,146,053.71 from the bank that guaranteed the contract.

The report states:

“Due to the inability by the Company to recover the advance payment, the Auditor General directed the management of the ministry to write a letter to the bank for the recovery of the remaining advance payment N213,146,053.71.”

Audit Report Shows a Worrisome Pattern of Financial Poor Accountability

The findings of the 2023 Katsina State Auditor General’s report expose a pattern of financial mismanagement, contract irregularities, and missing funds across multiple agencies. The reported cases, ranging from unaccounted-for cash withdrawals to abandoned projects, suggest a lack of proper oversight and accountability in the handling of public funds.

The audit report recommends urgent action to recover lost funds, ensure proper financial reporting, and hold those responsible accountable. These revelations underscore the need for stricter financial controls, improved transparency, and stronger enforcement of anti-corruption measures in Katsina State’s public sector