A member of the House of Representatives from Kano State, Aliyu Sani Madaki, has come under heavy criticism after a video surfaced online showing him with stacks of cash running into millions of Naira, in his living room.
The footage, which quickly went viral, shows Madaki, who represents Dala federal constituency on the platform of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), sorting wads of N1,000 Naira notes stacked in a pile alongside two other unknown individuals.
The apparent display of wealth has caused widespread disapproval among netizens, especially given the economic challenges currently gripping the nation. Many took to social media, particularly X (formerly Twitter), to express their anger and disappointment, describing the lawmaker’s action as insensitive and tone-deaf to the everyday struggles faced by ordinary Nigerians.
With cash scarcity still impacting daily life, a social media user, Pure Stanley, highlighted the disparity, questioning how Madaki accessed such a large cash while banks limit customer withdrawals. “Almost all the banks in Nigeria are not dispensing more than N20-50k to their customers, yet Aliyu Madaki has over N50-80 million in cash at his house. How?! Which bank dispensed the money to him? And what does he want to use the money for? These are the kinds of people occupying our wheels of power and steadily impoverishing this country,” Stanley wrote.
Another critic, Engr Y G, raised concerns about accountability, commenting, “It’s alarming to see politicians like Aliyu Sani Madaki in office, raising questions about accountability and transparency. This image of him surrounded by cash is sparking outrage, wondering how he intends to account for these funds.”
Another user identified as Allpower belongstoGod, wrote: “I swear these people are the reason we don’t see cash anyhow again. Just imagine, and poverty in that region is extremely high oo.”
“I don’t believe aliyu sani madaki can say this huge amount of money is for constituency project,” BABBA AGK wrote.
As the controversy continues, netizens were demanding answers regarding the source of the funds and purpose it’s intended for.