Kano CSO Coalition Disowns Anti-Corruption Protest, Labels It ‘Politically Motivated
A coalition of 201 Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Kano State under the aegis of the Patriotic Coalition of Civil Society Organisations (PCCSOs) has publicly disowned a recent protest against corruption, describing the organizers as an unrecognized and politically motivated group attempting to hijack the civil society space for a smear campaign.
The rebuttal comes in response to a publication dated September 4, 2025, titled “Protest and Solidarity Walk by Kano Civil Society Organisations Against Corruption,” which was attributed to a group calling itself the ‘Forum of Kano CSOs Against Corruption.’
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In a strongly-worded statement signed by its Convener, Hassan Ibrahim Gama, and Co-Convener, Mustapha Muhammed Chiroma, the PCCSOs, which represents a vast majority of the organized civil society in the state, raised serious concerns over the motives and methods of the five protesting CSOs.
The coalition’s primary objection was the misrepresentation of Kano’s civil society. The statement clarified that the so-called ‘Forum’ is not a recognized coalition within the Kano CSO family and that its actions do not represent the collective position of the civil society community in Kano State.
Countering the protest’s narrative, the coalition outlined several transparency mechanisms it claims the Kano State Government has implemented, including:
*Full compliance with external audits and adoption of the Treasury Single Account (TSA).
*Establishment of procurement monitoring units and anti-corruption desks.
*An open budgeting process with active CSO participation.
The coalition also dismiss allegations that the state government harasses CSOs and the media, calling the claims “unfounded.” They pointed to the inclusion of CSO members on government committees and oversight platforms as evidence of an “enabling environment.”
The statement urged any CSO that had genuinely experienced harassment to “show evidence in a transparent manner.”
Reaffirming their own commitment to fighting corruption, the PCCSOs declared support for the work of anti-graft agencies like the EFCC and ICPC. However, they firmly rejected what they see as the politicization of this fight.
“We reject attempts to politicize the anti-corruption fight or to use CSOs as tools for smear campaigns… True accountability must be based on evidence, due process, and constructive engagement — not sensational protests,” the statement concluded.
The statement was endorsed by a long list of 201 organizations, including prominent groups like the Kano Budget Working Group, Centre for Gender-Based Violence Advocacy, and numerous community development associations from across the state’s 44 Local Government Areas, underscoring the breadth of the coalition’s representation.