The Kano State Anti-corruption and Public Complaints Commission, on Saturday, confirmed that it has commenced investigations into an alleged N1.5 billion foreign scholarship fraud.

Already, two top officials of the state Ministry of Higher Education have been interrogated in connection with the issue of 1,001 students supposedly studying in India and Kenya.

It would be recalled that the state government sponsored 1,001 postgraduate students to pursue their master’s degrees in India and Uganda as part of the government’s foreign scholarship scheme inaugurated by Governor Abba Yusuf.

Yusuf recently hosted a farewell dinner for the first batch of 550 beneficiaries of the scholarship at the Government House, commending former Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso for introducing the scheme.

However, Sunday PUNCH learned that only 418 students were sent abroad for studies, raising questions about the whereabouts of the remaining students.

When contacted over the discrepancies, the commission’s Public Relations Officer, Kabiru Kabiru, who confirmed the report, further disclosed that the two top officials were interrogated over the alleged scholarship scam.

“Preliminary investigations uncovered fraudulent activities at the office of the Ministry for Higher Education over the postgraduate students to pursue their master’s degrees in India and Uganda.

“We commenced an investigation to establish the truth of the matter. Whoever that is found to be involved will be prosecuted, no matter how highly placed,” Kabiru stated.

PUNCH