T he Kano State Government has filed new fraud charges against former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, his former Commissioner for Local Government, Murtala Garo, and two other individuals, Lamin Sani and Muhammad Takai. The fresh allegations involve the diversion of over N57 billion allocated for the 44 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the state.
According to the charge sheet, the defendants face multiple serious accusations, including criminal conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, making false statements or returns, and criminal misappropriation of funds. The state government claims that these funds, intended for local government operations, were illegally transferred into various personal and corporate accounts.
The Kano State Government alleges that Ganduje, Garo, Sani, and Takai orchestrated a scheme to divert N57.4 billion from the State Joint Local Governments account. This account is designed to receive statutory allocations from the Federation Account, which the central government collects and distributes to states for local governance.
Among the allegations, the defendants are accused of converting part of these funds into U.S. dollars for personal use, reportedly facilitating their acquisition of high-value assets. These assets include a serviced apartment on Murtala Muhammad Way in Kano, a commercial apartment at Akoya Oxygen in Dubai, a luxurious multi-billion naira hotel in Jabi, Abuja, as well as filling stations on Gwarzo Road and Eastern Bypass in Kano.
This case follows previous legal actions involving Ganduje and other officials. Just a month ago, the Kano State Government filed charges against Ganduje and Musa Lawan, the former state attorney-general, for allegedly diverting N240 million. The pattern of alleged financial misconduct has drawn significant attention to governance and financial management practices within the state.
The recent charges are part of a broader investigation into corruption within the Kano State Government. The state has promised to call 143 witnesses to support its case, reflecting the seriousness with which it is pursuing these allegations.
On April 4, 2024, the Kano State Government initiated a legal suit against Ganduje, his wife Hafsat Umar, and several other individuals, including his son Umar Abdullahi Umar, Abubakar Bawuro, Jibrilla Muhammad, and various companies such as Lamash Properties Ltd., Safari Textiles Ltd., and Lesage General Enterprises.
No court date has yet been set for the latest case against Ganduje and his co-defendants. The legal process is expected to unfold over the coming months, with both sides preparing their arguments and evidence.
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