The Kano State Government has instituted legal action at the Kano State High Court against former Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, his two sons, and several associates over an alleged diversion of public funds totaling ₦4.49 billion.

The case, filed on October 13, 2025, seeks to recover the state’s 20 per cent equity stake in Dala Inland Dry Port Limited and reclaim funds the government says were misappropriated.

According to court filings, the defendants include Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, his sons Umar Abdullahi Umar and Muhammad Abdullahi Umar, Abubakar Sahabo Bawuro, a former special adviser, Hassan Bello, a former Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers Council, Adamu Aliyu Sanda, a legal practitioner, and Dala Inland Dry Port Limited.

The government’s charge sheet lists ten counts, covering allegations of criminal conspiracy, misappropriation of public funds, breach of trust, and conflict of interest.

Prosecutors allege that the defendants conspired to fraudulently transfer 80 per cent of the company’s shares, including the state’s 20 per cent equity, to private entities through a shell company known as City Green Enterprise.

According to investigators, the transaction was structured to hide the real ownership of the dry port project, which was originally conceived to boost Kano’s economic development.

“The defendants deliberately hijacked a federal initiative and used proxies and fake entities to conceal the diversion of public assets meant for the people of Kano State,” the prosecution stated.

The government further alleges that over ₦4.49 billion in public funds was siphoned under the guise of financing infrastructure at the dry port, including a double carriageway, electricity, and fencing projects.

Investigators claim these projects were executed with state funds but designed to benefit private companies linked to the accused individuals.

“These projects were funded with state resources but tailored to benefit private and family interests. This is not just a betrayal of public trust but a systematic looting of public wealth,” a source close to the investigation revealed.

Court documents indicate that Abdullahi Haruna, the Kano State Government’s representative on the board of Dala Inland Dry Port Limited, was excluded from the alleged share transfer, which was said to have been executed unilaterally by Ganduje.

“The prosecution will prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the equity transfer was neither legal nor transparent,” prosecutors added. “Key board members were sidelined. A governor cannot single-handedly transfer state assets into private hands.”

The state is expected to present several witnesses, including the lead investigating officer and a former stakeholder who claims he was excluded from the transaction.

Prosecutors will also tender policy documents from the Olusegun Obasanjo administration to support Kano’s claim of a 20 per cent stake in the project.

Additionally, documents alleged to have been falsified to mislead regulators and records of a ₦750 million transaction routed through Safari Textile Ltd (STL Enterprise)—said to be a front company—will be presented as evidence.

The case has been assigned to High Court 2 of the Kano State Judiciary, presided over by Justice Yusuf Ubale, though a trial date has not been fixed.

“The government is committed to accountability and the recovery of all looted funds and properties,” a senior official of the Kano State Ministry of Justice said. “This is about protecting public resources, not personal vendettas.”

Efforts to obtain comments from Ganduje or his legal representatives were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.

Credit: Channels TV

Governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have appealed to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to embrace dialogue in resolving its grievances, saying negotiation remains the most sustainable solution to the challenges facing Nigeria’s education sector.

The appeal came at the end of a two-day meeting of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF) held in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State, between October 16 and 17, 2025.

Reading the communiqué after the meeting, the forum’s chairman and Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, urged university lecturers to “sheath their swords and return to the dialogue table in the interest of the nation’s education system.”

Uzodimma described the meeting as a strategic reflection on Nigeria’s socio-economic direction and the role of states in driving national transformation.

The forum commended the collaborative framework among federal, state, and local governments, describing it as a model of cooperative federalism and inclusive development.

A highlight of the meeting was the formal reception of Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, into the APC. Uzodimma called Mbah’s defection “historic,” noting that it has increased the number of APC governors to 24 nationwide.

“Governor Mbah’s decision to join our fold reinforces the party’s national appeal and validates the strength of the Renewed Hope Agenda,” Uzodimma said.

The governors also praised President Bola Tinubu and the APC leadership for ushering in what they called “a new era of inclusivity, ideological clarity, and national consolidation.”

They expressed satisfaction with the ongoing fiscal reforms, food security measures, power sector stabilisation, infrastructure modernisation, and social intervention programmes under the Tinubu administration.

According to the communiqué, the forum observed steady growth in the economy, a decline in inflation and interest rates, and improved revenues across all tiers of government.

The governors further commended the President’s initiatives through the National Economic Council, which they said are expanding economic opportunities across Nigeria’s 8,809 electoral wards.

“The Progressive Governors’ Forum commends the foresight of President Tinubu and reaffirms its collective resolve to support all policies and programmes under the Renewed Hope Agenda,” Uzodimma stated.