ICPC, EFCC Mum Over Kebbi Pilgrims Board Donations

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have remained silent over calls for scrutiny of donations reportedly worth more than N500 million by the chairman of the Kebbi State Pilgrims Welfare Agency, Faruk Musa Yaro Enabo.

The donations, comprising vehicles, motorcycles and other empowerment items distributed to political stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC), have sparked public debate, with concerns raised over the source of funds used to finance the exercise.

Enquiries sent to the spokespersons of the two anti-graft agencies yielded no response as of the time of filing this report.

The EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, and his ICPC counterpart, John Odey, did not respond to requests for clarification on whether either commission had received a petition, commenced preliminary enquiries or planned to investigate the donations.

The ICPC spokesperson later pleaded for more time to gather information on the issue but had not responded as at the time of filing this report.

The silence leaves unanswered questions about whether the agencies intend to examine the financial circumstances surrounding the donations, particularly given the public office held by the donor and the reported scale of the expenditure.

Reports published on October 22 said Enabo donated more than 70 vehicles and 225 motorcycles to APC coordinators, elected representatives and other party stakeholders ahead of the 2027 elections.

The chairman reportedly maintained that the donations were financed from his personal earnings and legitimate business interests, rather than funds belonging to the Pilgrims Welfare Agency or the Kebbi State Government.

He attributed his financial capacity to business activities in trading, agriculture, construction and transportation, adding that profits from contracts he had executed were used to purchase the items.

However, the explanation has not stopped calls for greater transparency regarding the source of the funds and whether public resources were involved.

The controversy comes amid renewed attention to the management of pilgrimage-related funds following comments by EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede in September that investigations into Christian and Muslim pilgrimage agencies had uncovered alleged diversion of substantial public funds.

Olukoyede’s remarks concerned findings from previous investigations and did not, in themselves, establish any wrongdoing in connection with the Kebbi donations.

The donations also raise questions about the distinction between an individual’s privately financed charitable or political contributions and expenditure involving public funds, an issue that could be clarified through appropriate financial documentation and, where warranted, independent investigation.

There is, however, no public confirmation from either the EFCC or the ICPC that an investigation into Enabo’s donations has commenced.