Residents of the Rano Emirate Council in Kano State have petitioned the state government over alleged gross misconduct and maladministration following the “disappearance of critical medical equipment under the watch of the Zonal Director, Hospitals Management Board, Rano Zone, Dr Idris Ibn-Garba.”
The petition, dated December 18, accused Dr Garba of abusing his office since assuming duty on February 7 this year.
The petitioners cited a specific incident on June 8, when the director allegedly ordered the relocation of laboratory equipment to a main store “without any backup documentation to support the officer-in-charge of the laboratory.”
According to the residents, the items moved included “two UPS machines, one blood gas electrolyte analyser and one hormonal X-ray machine,” alleging that the relocation directly resulted in the “disappearance” of the equipment.
The petition, titled “The Frequent Missing of Hospital Equipment and Accessories at Rano Emirate Specialist Hospital,” was signed by a nine-member committee, including representatives of Miyetti Allah Rano, NURTW Rano and the Isah Wali Initiative.
The petition further alleged that “a total of 538 equipment items and materials were missing” from the hospital.
It also accused Dr Garba of taking over the Rano Emirate Specialist Hospital without following standard civil service procedures.
“The Zonal Director took over Rano Emirate Specialist Hospital without a handing-over and taking-over document, as he narrated on Tuesday, September 9, 2025, in his office to a committee,” the petition stated, referring to a meeting with the Rano–Kibiya–Bunkure Development Association (RAKIBU) and other stakeholders.
The residents further alleged that the director converted the hospital’s eye centre into a personal residence for himself and his staff, describing the action as a violation of infection control and patient safety standards, medical records confidentiality and privacy, as well as hospital logistics and resource management protocols.
The petitioners, comprising over a dozen local associations, including Miyetti Allah Rano, NURTW Rano and the Isah Wali Initiative, claimed to possess audio and documentary evidence to support their allegations.
“We humbly pray that your esteemed office takes decisive action by ordering a thorough and independent investigation into the activities of the Zonal Director, Rano Zone,” the petition said, while also calling for his immediate suspension “to prevent further interference with evidence or intimidation of potential witnesses.”
Responding to Kano Times, Dr Garba dismissed the allegations as baseless, insisting that there was no evidence linking him to the disappearance of hospital equipment.
On the contrary, he said his tenure was pivotal to the hospital’s development and marked by a proactive stance against corruption.
“They cannot find me guilty of any wrongdoing. I improved the standards of the hospital from the state I inherited,” Dr Garba said.
“These are merely spurious allegations made without proof. In fact, I was the one who uncovered a syndicate of thieves within the hospital and successfully recovered stolen equipment,” he added.
He further stated that disciplinary action was taken against officials involved, including the hospital’s Chief Security Officer.
A circular dated December 17, signed by Fatima Lawan on behalf of the Executive Secretary of the Hospitals Management Board, indicated that Dr Garba has been transferred from the Rano Zone to the board’s headquarters.
The Rano Emirate Specialist Hospital was part of a N2.5 billion upgrade project initiated in 2019 to provide modern hospital facilities, emergency wards, laboratory units and maternity blocks for the newly created emirate headquarters.
