Kano State House of Assembly Speaker Jibril Falgore, Deputy Speaker Muhammad Butu and three others have been invited for questioning as part of the ongoing probe of the N440 million drugs contract scam in 44 local government areas in the state.

They were invited yesterday by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

Others invited are: Majority Leader Lawan Dala; Minority Leader Labaran Madari; Clerk of the House Bashir Diso;  and the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.

Apart from the Permanent Secretary who will interact with ICPC team on September 18, the Speaker and the rest are to undergo interrogation on September 19.

The letter of invitation, dated yesterday and addressed individually to those invited, reads: “The commission is investigating alleged violations of the provisions of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, No. 5 2000.

“Pursuant to Section 28 of the said Act, you are to appear for an interview before the undersigned at the ICPC headquarters, Abuja. You are expected to come with either a lawyer, Justice of Peace, Staff of the Legal Aid Council, or any individual of your choice.

“The appointment is scheduled and should be strictly adhered to. Accept the assurances of the Hon. Chairman’s highest regard.”

Since July 18, the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission has been trying to investigate the award of the N440 million drugs contract, which was awarded to NOVOMED Pharmaceuticals.

The contract, which was meant for the supply of drugs to the 44 local government areas, was alleged to be in breach of the state’s Procurement Law and Financial Management Law.

But, on August 27, the Chairman of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), the Ministry of Local Government Affairs and all the 44 council bosses secured a court order restraining the state anti-graft agency from probing the alleged drugs contract scam.

They asked the court to declare that the arrest and detention of the applicants and their employees by the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission amounted to an infringement and encroachment of their fundamental human rights under Section 34, 35, 36, 41 and 46 of the 1999 Constitution.

The applicants also asked a Kano State High Court, presided by Justice Ibrahim Musa Muhammad, to restrain ICPC, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Commissioner of Police, the Assistant Inspector-General of Police (Zone 1) Kano and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Kano Zonal Command.

Justice Muhammad, who granted the request to retrain ICPC and others, adjourned the matter to September 12 (yesterday).

But ICPC chairman, Dr. Musa Aliyu (SAN), who appeared before the Kano State High Court yesterday said the chairmen have no locus standi to institute the matter because the Supreme Court has declared all the caretaker committees in LGAs as illegal nationwide.

He also said the resolution of the Kano State House of Assembly to extend the tenure of the 44 chairmen of the 44 Caretaker Committees in the councils was not valid because such committees were unknown to the 1999 Constitution.

He asked the court to vacate the restraining order sought by ALGON, the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs and the 44 chairmen of the Caretaker Committees.

As at press time last night, the ICPC had decided to go ahead with the probe of the N440 million drugs contract.

A source said: “We received Intel from a whistleblower on the drugs scandal and we have decided to investigate all the allegations. There are many other allegations we are looking into.

“We have invited the Speaker and five others to assist in the course of our investigation. We need to ask them to clarify some issues which may inhibit ongoing investigation.”