Kano State Government Files Fresh Fraud Charges Against Former Governor Ganduje and Associates
The Kano State Government has filed a new fraud charge against the immediate past governor, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, along with his former Commissioner for Local Government, Murtala Garo, and two others.
The fresh charges were filed as part of the state’s ongoing investigation into the alleged mismanagement of local government funds during Ganduje’s administration.
According to the charge sheet, Garo, Lamin Sani, and Muhammad Takai are being charged with criminal conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, making false statements or returns, and criminal misappropriation.
The state government accuses the defendants of mismanaging statutory allocations meant for the 44 local governments, which were remitted to the State Joint Local Governments account from the Federation account.
The allegations include the criminal diversion of N57.4 billion through several personal accounts belonging to local government cashiers, as well as other personal and corporate accounts.
The state government further claims that the accused transferred the funds into dollars for their personal benefit. The charge sheet details several high-value properties allegedly acquired with the misappropriated funds.
These include a service apartment on Murtala Muhammad Way in Kano, a commercial apartment at Akoya Oxygen in Dubai, and a plot at Damac Heights, Marsa Dubai Marina.
Additionally, the state government alleges that the accused purchased a multibillion-dollar hotel in Jabi, Abuja, and several filling stations on Gwarzo Road and the Eastern Bypass in Kano.
The state has indicated that it plans to call 143 witnesses in the case. However, no date has been set for the court proceedings.
This new charge comes on the heels of an earlier lawsuit filed by the Kano State Government on April 4 against Ganduje, his wife Hafsat Umar, and six others.
The earlier case, filed before the Kano High Court, involved allegations of criminal conspiracy and misappropriation. On July 16, the state government also accused Ganduje and his former Commissioner for Justice, Musa Lawan, of abuse of office in a related charge sheet.
The series of legal actions against the former governor and his associates signal the Kano State Government’s intensified efforts to hold those responsible for alleged corruption and financial misconduct accountable.
The cases are being closely watched as they unfold, given their potential implications for political accountability and the rule of law in Nigeria.
