by Oke Efagene

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Sunday arrested and interrogated the Kano State Finance Commissioner, Abdullahi Gaya, as well as his Budget and Economic Planning counterpart, Yusuf Bello.

The state Accountant General, Danjuma Mahmoud, was also arrested by the commission.

It was gathered that the named Kano State officials were interrogated for the most part of Sunday and later released on bail.

However, the reason for their arrest was unknown, but it was learnt that they were directed by the anti-graft agency to report back to the commission next week.

Premium Times report:

Acting spokesperson of the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, confirmed the interrogation when contacted on Tuesday night. He however declined to speak further on the issue.

The Kano officials were quizzed about a week after the Speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly, Gambo Salau, the Majority Leader, Hamisu Ibrahim and other principal officers were arrested by the Commission over 2013 Budget review that involved the sum of N28 billion.

The lawmakers were whisked away by the EFCC Zonal office in Kano from the Assembly premises after they concluded the business of the day.

They were reportedly kept at the Commission’s office for almost three hours.

Although Mr. Uwujaren denied any political undertone for the previous arrest, it has been alleged that the officials are being persecuted because of the defection of the state governor, Musa Kwankwaso, from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the All Progressives Congress, APC, on November 26.

Mr. Kwankwaso and four other governors, Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto), Chibuike Amaechi (Rivers), Murtala Nyako (Adamawa) and Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara) dumped the PDP following the protracted crisis in the ruling party.