Kano anti-graft commission chairman resigns after mounting pressure

The Chairman of the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission, Saidu Yahaya, has reportedly resigned from his position.

Yahaya submitted his resignation letter on Tuesday, September 15, according to Daily Trust, amid reported pressure from the Kano State Government over concerns about his performance in office.

Although the resignation had not been formally announced by the state government at the time of the report, the government indicated that new leadership had been appointed for the commission. The Special Adviser to Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf on Social Media, Ibrahim Adam, announced on his verified Facebook page that the governor had appointed Barrister Hafsat Ada’u Kutama as acting chairperson of the PCACC.

“His Excellency, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, has appointed Barr. Hafsat Ada’u Kutama as the Acting Chairperson of the Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission (PCACC), Kano State. “Until her appointment, Barr. Hafsat served as the Secretary of the Commission,” Adam said. Kutama, who served as secretary of the commission before her appointment, is expected to assume office as acting chairperson on Wednesday, September 16.

Yahaya was appointed chairman of the PCACC in August 2025 following the expiration of the tenure of his predecessor, Muhuyi Magaji Rimin Gado. His appointment was approved by the Kano State House of Assembly for a five-year tenure. The reported resignation followed recent public criticism by Governor Yusuf over the performance of the anti-corruption commission under Yahaya’s leadership.

The governor had challenged the commission’s leadership to intensify its efforts against corruption, warning that anyone unwilling to carry out the responsibility should “step aside.” Yusuf made the remarks during the flag-off of the distribution of 150 truckloads of subsidised fertiliser to farmers across Kano State’s 44 local government areas.

According to a statement by the Director General of Media and Publicity at the Kano Government House, Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, the governor said he had invited the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission to monitor the fertiliser distribution. Yusuf said the involvement of the federal anti-corruption agencies was intended to promote transparency and accountability and prevent the diversion of the subsidised fertiliser.

The governor also expressed hope that the PCACC would regain its relevance, saying he wanted the commission to become more visible in combating corruption and holding public officials accountable. Yahaya had not independently confirmed his resignation at the time the report was filed.