The Kano State Government has filed fresh fraud charges against former Governor Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, his Commissioner for Local Government, Murtala Garo, and two others.
The charge sheet lists Garo, Lamin Sani, and Muhammad Takai, accusing them of criminal conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, making false statements, and criminal misappropriation.
The charges stem from allegations of mismanagement of the statutory allocations of all 44 Local Governments, which were remitted to the State Joint Local Governments account from the Federation account.
The defendants are accused of criminally diverting ₦57.4 billion through various personal accounts of Local Government Cashiers as well as other personal and corporate accounts.
The state government also alleges that the funds were converted into dollars for personal gain. The charge sheet further claims that the accused used the diverted funds to acquire properties, including a service apartment on Murtala Muhammad Way in Kano, a commercial apartment at Akoya Oxygen – x20868 Dubai in Tigerwood, and a plot at 2201 Floor 22 Damac Heights, Marsa Dubai Marina.
Additionally, they allegedly acquired a multi-billion Naira hotel in Jabi, Abuja, and several filling stations on Gwarzo Road and Eastern Bypass in Kano.
News Agency of Nigeria reports that the state government plans to call 143 witnesses in the case, though no date has been set for the hearing.
This development follows a previous lawsuit filed by the Kano government on April 4 against Ganduje, his wife Hafsat Umar, and six others, including his son Umar Abdullahi Umar.
The earlier suit, filed before the Kano High Court, included charges of criminal conspiracy and misappropriation against Ganduje and his former Commissioner for Justice, Musa Lawan. The Kano government also accused Ganduje and Lawan of abuse of office.
