The Kebbi State Government has established a committee to recover N2.1 billion in fraudulently removed funds intended for orphans from their individual accounts.
The World Muslim League disbursed this amount through bank transfers to support the upbringing of 1,849 orphans in the state.
According to reports from the News Agency of Nigeria, some guardians entrusted with managing the funds have engaged in fraudulent activities, denying the orphans their rightful benefits.
On Friday, Commissioner for Religious Affairs Alhaji Muhammad Sani-Aliyu briefed journalists in Birnin Kebbi on the development.
“The governor has high compassion for orphans, he is up to the task.
He, therefore, charged the committee to do the needful, to ensure thorough investigation,” Sani-Aliyu stated, referencing Governor Nasir Idris’s directive for immediate recovery of the stolen funds.
Sani-Aliyu explained that initial investigations revealed the fraudulent acts were perpetrated using Point of Sale terminals, rather than conventional banking channels.
He warned, “But we are sounding a word of caution, any bank discovered to be involved in the removal of the orphans’ money, the government will formally write a letter of complaint to the headquarters of such bank for appropriate action.”
Emphasizing the state government’s commitment to protecting orphans, Sani-Aliyu vowed, “The present administration would not fold its arms to allow some unscrupulous guardians of orphans to cheat the orphans.”
He noted that the Recovery Committee, headed by himself, comprises two other commissioners, two special advisers, and two permanent secretaries.
