The Managing Director, Abubakar Rimi Television, a state own broadcast station, Alh. Mustapha Adamu is being queried by the state Anti-corruption Commission.
Adamu, who is being accused of mismanagement and diversion of fund was said to have been detained by anti-graft following a petition filed against him by the joint union of the station, Nigeria Union of Journalists NUJ and Radio Television and Theatre Arts Workers Union (RATTAWU).
Although, a text message sent to the Chairman of the agency, Barr. Muhuyi Magaji Rimin-Gado was not replied, a reliable source at the agency revealed the Adamu was answering questions over allegations of corruption running into hundreds of millions.
The MD is at the risk of three years in jail, given allegation contrary to section 26 of the law establishing the anti graft agency.
When contacted for comment, the embattled managing director, Alhaji Mustapha Adamu Indabawa declined.
He said the reason was that the matter is already before the anti graft agency.
In the petition obtained cited The Guardian, the two unions accused their MD of awarding contract to himself and theft running into millions of naira.
The petition addressed to Governor Abba Yusuf read: “It is with grave dismay that we bring to the attention of his Excellency several instances of financial misappropriation meant for the good of the station, gross mismanagement, and unprofessional conduct that have plagued the organisation which was established by the Kano state government purposely to proactively inform the general public of the governments activities and to highlight the needs of the general public for the attention of the government.
“Our grievances highlight the issues of diesel theft that linger for a long time and for a self-acclaimed award of contract of digitisation at the station, amounting to a staggering 60 million Naira.
“This contract award contravenes the Kano State Procurement Law 2022 (as amended). This unjustified expenditure not only signifies a blatant misuse of public funds but also raises serious questions about the integrity of the decision-making process within the corporation which the attention of the government needs to be brought to the limelight”
“Furthermore, the broad daylight disappearance of three million Naira UNICEF airtime payment to the corporation is deeply troubling and demands urgent investigation.
“Such acts of financial impropriety not only undermine the credibility of the media station but also compromise the ability of the station to fulfil its mandate to the people and the government of Kano State.
“In addition to financial irregularities, the management under the current leadership has failed to uphold professional standards, resulting in the total collapse of the television news and programme content in volume and quality.
“This has not only eroded the trust of the station’s viewers but has also tarnished the reputation of Abubakar Rimi Television as a reliable source of information and entertainment to the Kano people and beyond” The petition read.