Fresh allegations have rocked the Kano State Government as the Commissioner for Transport, Ibrahim Namadi, has been accused of receiving a $30,000 bribe to stand as surety for a suspected drug trafficker currently facing trial at the Federal High Court in Kano.
The embattled commissioner is alleged to have facilitated the release of Sulaiman Danwawu, a notorious drug suspect, by fulfilling the court’s ₦8 million bail condition in exchange for the bribe. According to findings by the State Security Service (SSS), Namadi not only stood as surety for Danwawu but did so despite warnings from the state’s security council, which had earlier identified Danwawu as a threat in the fight against drug trafficking in Kano.
Sources revealed that the SSS conducted a discreet probe into the deal and submitted its findings to Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, recommending immediate dismissal of the commissioner. The scandal has sparked public outrage across the state, with critics questioning the integrity of top government officials.
Namadi, a politically controversial figure with a previous fraud case dating back to 2013, was reportedly imposed on the state executive council by NNPP chieftain, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. Despite opposition from some quarters, Governor Yusuf eventually appointed him after considerable internal consultations.
Reacting to the scandal, a government source said the governor was initially furious and ready to dismiss Namadi but was persuaded to stay action after a high-level political consultation with Kwankwaso.
“The governor sees Namadi’s actions as a betrayal of his administration’s anti-drug stance. This is not just a breach of trust but a mockery of ongoing efforts to sanitize the state,” the source added.
An investigative panel has since been set up by the state government to look into the matter and submit its report within seven days. The commissioner’s position is reportedly hanging by a thread, pending the outcome of the panel’s findings.
While denying any wrongdoing, Namadi told journalists that he was unaware of the bribery allegations. “I’m not aware of all the allegations you mentioned, it’s not true,” he said.
However, reports indicate that the commissioner had earlier sworn an affidavit to fulfill Danwawu’s bail conditions and had also publicly admitted to acting as surety—though he claimed to have no personal relationship with the accused.
Meanwhile, internal wranglings in the Ministry of Transport have come to light. Namadi is said to be locked in a prolonged dispute with the ministry’s permanent secretary, Abdulmumin Babani, while also clashing with the Kano State Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Kabiru Labour, over alleged compulsory levies imposed on the union.
Sources close to the Kano State Executive Council disclosed that over 30 official memos from the Ministry of Transport are either marked “keep in view,” “see me,” or have been completely ignored by the governor, reflecting a growing lack of trust and administrative stagnation under Namadi’s leadership.
In a related development, observers have pointed to a recent solar tricycle purchase proposal submitted to the executive council without the ministry’s input as further evidence of Namadi’s diminishing influence within the government.
As the controversy deepens, all eyes are now on Governor Yusuf and the investigative panel to determine whether the commissioner will be shown the exit or survive yet another storm in Kano’s turbulent political waters.
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