The Kano State Government has accused Abdullahi Ganduje, former governor, of bribery totaling $413,000, or N1.38 billion. According to the state, it has gathered 15 witnesses to provide evidence against Ganduje.
The charge sheet dated April 3, 2024 included Ganduje’s son Umar and his wife Hafsat as co-defendants.
Jibrilla Muhammad, Lamash Properties Ltd., Safari Textiles Ltd., and Lesage General Enterprises were also named as defendants.
Upon taking office, Governor Abba Yusuf charged Ganduje with embezzling public monies and granting land parcels to certain members of his close relatives.
One of the charges read: “That you, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, sometime between the period of January 10, 2016 or thereabouts, at Kano in the Kano Judicial Division, while serving as the Governor of Kano State and being a public servant in the government of Kano State corruptly asked for and received the sum of $200,000 being benefit for yourself from one of the beneficiaries of contracts awarded by the Kano State Government on your instruction and approval as part of your function as the Governor of Kano State, thereby committed the offence of official corruption, contrary to and punishable under Section 22 of the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-corruption Commission Law 2008 (as amended), Law No 2 of 2009, Laws of Kano State of Nigeria.”
In the second count, the state government said, Ganduje, on February 10, 2017 “dishonestly and/or corruptly to your own advantage collected a kick-back of the sum of $ 213,000 being money generated from people and entities seeking or holding the execution of Kano State Government contact and or project for the remodeling of Kantin Kwari textile market as a bribe through one of the contractors (agent).”
In another count, state alleged that Ganduje, between September 2020 and march 2021, “together with one Hafsat Umar (your spouse) and Abubakar Bawuro, a businessman, Safari Textile Ltd, a limited liability company, wholly owned and maintained by the 3rd defendant, agreed to do an illegal act to wit: dishonestly converted to your own use the sum of N1,376,000,000 through account No. 7085982019 belonging to the 3rd defendant being money earmarked and approved for the purchase and supply of face masks and other hospital equipment for the health sector, thereby causing wrongful loss to the people and the government of Kano State and thereby jointly committed the offence of criminal conspiracy contrary to Section 96 and punishable under section 97 of The penal code (as amended) CAP,105, Vol.2. The Laws of Kano State of Nigeria, 1991.”
The Kano State’s Attorney General, Muhuyi Magaji, said he was empowered by Section 211 of the 1999 Constitution and Sections 121(1), 126(b) and 377 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law, 2019, “to apply to prefer the charge attached herewith against the defendants.”
In the meantime, Governor Yusuf has set up two committees to probe the government of Ganduje, over alleged misappropriation of public property, political violence and missing persons in the state.
While inaugurating members of the committees, the governor vowed to bring to book anyone found wanting on conclusion of the probe.
This was contained in a statement signed by the Director-General, Media and Publicity, Sanusi Tofa.
It will be recalled that Governor Yusuf had vowed to recover all public property allegedly stolen by the Ganduje administration.
The panels, according to the statement, are to unravel those behind or involved in the misappropriation of public properties and political violence between 2015 and 2023.
