Yobe State Govermor during his visit to Pilgrims during Hajj 2019
Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State has approved the appointment of former Executive Chairman of Potiskum Local Government, Mohammed Musa Potiskum as Liaison Officer, Yobe Pilgrims Commission.
Hajj Reporters had earlier published the story of the suspension of Mr Potiskum as a Local Government Chairman by the immediate past governor, Ibrahim Geidam, for allegedly misappropriating N38.9 Million Naira 2017 Hajj fare paid to the local govt by 33 intending pilgrims.
However, surprisingly, the former Postikum Local Government Chairman had gained an appointment in the state’s Pilgrims Commission as a Liason Officer, as approved by governor Buni.
He did not only made the list of the 15 newly appointed Liaison Officers approved by the governor but was also redeployed to the State Pilgrims Commission where he was suspended for allegedly diverting money belonging to some pilgrims of the state.
The appointment had raised eyebrows in the state, as some analysts view it as casting a shadow on people’s confidence, especially the intending pilgrims.
In August 2017, Yobe State Police command arrested some officials of Potiskum Local Government Council over alleged missing hajj fares paid by 41 intending 2017 Hajj pilgrims.
The then command’s Police Public Relations Officer, Jafiya Zubairu, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, confirmed the development to newsmen in Yobe.
According to him, officials from both organisations allegedly diverted deposits made by 41 intending pilgrims from the Potiskum LGA and could not secure visas for them.
Recall that in a statement released in 2017 by the Chief Press Secretary to the SSG, Shu’aibu Abdullahi, the former governor, Geidam suspended the erstwhile Chairman after the recommendations of an investigative committee set up by the State House of Assembly, which indicted him and some council officials of diverting the funds