Lockdown Looting: How Zamfara State Government Allegedly Spent N911 Million on School Renovation Amidst COVID-19 Lockdown

Secret Reporters

When Bello Matawalle became the Governor of Zamfara State, he promised the residents that he would deliver dividends of democracy. Despite this promise, investigations by SecretReporters have revealed that the Zamfara government has been involved in contract racketeering. One such instance is the renovation of GSSS Shinkafi, which the government spent almost one billion Naira on during the nationwide lockdown. The investigation has uncovered several irregularities in the awarding of the contract to Raudah Energy Resources LTD.

Background
The GSSS Shinkafi was established in 1970 and has produced prominent dignitaries like Hon Attahiru Bafarawa, the former Governor of Sokoto State, and Mahmud Aliyu Shinkafi, the former governor of Zamfara State. However, as of August 2020, the school was in shambles, with the Chairman of the old boys association, Dr. Tijjani Salihu Shinkafi, accusing the state government of misplaced priorities.

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Contract Award
The contract for the renovation of GSSS Shinkafi was awarded to Raudah Energy Resources LTD, a company incorporated in Kano, Nigeria, with registration number 725942. The company’s registered office address is NO 333 Kafinta House Fagge Ta Kudu. While the contract details stated that the project was to allow for social distancing, it was billed to run for one year and six months, with no clarity on whether the project has been completed. The contract was pegged at N911,790,250.00.

Investigation Findings
Investigations by SecretReporters have uncovered several irregularities in the awarding of the contract. First, the contract was awarded during the nationwide lockdown when schools were closed, and it is not clear why such a large sum of money was spent on a renovation project during this period. Second, a check on the Corporate Affairs Commission revealed that Raudah Energy Resources LTD is not active. Third, the project was billed to run for one year and six months, which is an unusually long time for a renovation project.

Conclusion
The renovation of GSSS Shinkafi was a project aimed at allowing for social distancing in the school during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, investigations by SecretReporters have revealed several irregularities in the awarding of the contract to Raudah Energy Resources LTD. These irregularities include the timing of the award during the nationwide lockdown, the fact that the company is not active, and the unusually long duration of the project. As of the time of filing this report, there are no official records that could confirm that the school has been renovated despite splashing such a humongous amount on it.