A video of Kano State governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, allegedly receiving bribe amounting to about $5million from contractors in the state has surfaced online.
According to DAILY NIGERIAN, some contractors who spoke with the media outfit on the condition of anonymity said the governor personally receives from 15 to 25 per cent kickbacks for every project executed in the state.
The sting operation to capture the governor on camera began two years ago when one of the contractors agreed to plant spy camera on his kaftan lapel while offering the bribe.
During about 10 months efforts to capture the bribe giving/taking scenes, the governor’s face and body were clearly captured in nine clips, while six others did not clearly reveal the governor’s face. About $5m dollars were delivered to the governor during the sting operation.
One of the contractors who preferred not to be named said the reason he collaborated with the online newspaper was to expose corruption and bring sanity to the country.
“If my aim is to blackmail or extort the governor, I would have used the videos to get over a billion settlement or force the governor to pay the hundreds of millions of naira the state is owing my company or force him to pay back all the money I paid him as kickbacks,” he said.
“We believe if public office holders are exposed, there will be sanity in the system even if I will not be the beneficiary in future.”
In August, Mr Ganduje signed an executive order on Open Government Partnership, OGP, directing all ministries, departments and agencies to fully implement the principles.
“Kano State has joined the Open Government Partnership to deepen institutional reforms, fight corruption, and grant citizens’ right of access to public records and information and to enable citizens to effectively participate in governance,” Mr Ganduje said.
“On the premise of answering the call of President Muhammadu Buhari, that Nigeria must fight corruption to a standstill, Ganduje becomes very committed in the OGP project.”
Anti-corruption activist, Kabir Dakata, who also watched the video before its release to the public, said it was ironic that a governor who always preaches the gospel anti-corruption is found stealing public funds.
Presidency sources familiar with the situation said two security agencies have been asked by President Muhammadu Buhari to file a report on the video and submit to him in earnest.
The report, according to sources, involves analysis of the audiovisual contents of the clips, backgrounds and sequence, and then give recommendations to the president.
The sources confirmed that the president would act on the report as soon the two agencies submit the report.
Popular activist and social critic, VeryDarkMan, has raised concerns about the hacking of his NGO account, which led to the diversion of N160 million.
In a video shared on his verified Instagram account on Friday, he revealed that the incident had left him feeling distressed in recent days.
He explained that the funds were stolen after hackers allegedly gained access to the NGO’s website. The compromised account, which initially contained N180 million, now holds only N20 million.
He mentioned that law enforcement agencies had tracked one of the suspects, resulting in an arrest.
To address the situation, he stated that the NGO’s app had been temporarily taken offline for maintenance to prevent further vulnerabilities.
He said, “For the past few days, I’ve not been myself. I am here with Officer Joe, and we are going to Jos. NGO money—somebody stole the money. Somebody hacked into the NGO website, and I don’t know how they did it. N180 million is missing, but thank God we have tracked the person, and we are on our way to Jos.
“They have arrested one person, and that is why I’m even saying it now. I’m excited, and the account has been put on PND. The account now has N20 million, while N160 million has been diverted to another account. We are currently going there to see how we can get the money back. I just want to update you people.
“I even had to shut down the app and put it on maintenance so that people will not really see what is going on, but let me just come out plain and tell everyone what is going on. Hopefully, we will get the money back.”
The NGO, which launched in October, gained significant attention after raising over N21 million within 24 hours of its inception.
The initiative, aimed at transforming Nigeria’s public education system, attracted support from prominent figures, including music producer Don Jazzy.
As IGP Commends Officers For Vigilance, Commitment To Safety
In furtherance of the directive of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D., NPM., to commands and formations to emplace unalloyed anti crime strategies towards ensuring adequate safety and security during this festive period, operatives of the Nigeria Police Force across several states in the country have successfully apprehended multiple groups of armed robbers, cultists and hoodlums targeting fun seekers and engaging in gangsterism during Christmas celebrations.
On the 25th of December 2024, at about 1am, the police operatives attached to Lagos State Command, received a distress call that a group of hoodlums armed with dangerous weapons was operating around the Safejo area of Amukoko, Lagos State. The swift response by the police operatives to the scene led to the arrest of 3 of the suspected hoodlums identified as Emmanuel Okoli ‘m’, 20 years, Ogunde Tejiri ‘m’, 20 years, and Emmanuel Orji ‘m’, 18 years, and also the recovery of the weapons they had used in carrying out robbery attacks on innocent funseekers in the area. The police have emplaced intensified searches to apprehend the fleeing members of the gang.
In a similar development, Police Operatives attached to Saminaka Division of the Kaduna State Command on 25th December 2024, at about 8pm, successfully apprehended one Sule Muhammad ‘m’, 25 years, who has been actively involved in multiple kidnapping incidents within the Saminaka area. Further investigation led to the recovery of a fabricated AK-47 rifle from the suspect. The suspect confessed to being a member of a notorious kidnapping gang who had been evading arrest since the arrest of other gang members on August 16, 2024, until his recent arrest on 25th December 2024. Following cooperation received from Muhammad, efforts are in top gear to apprehend other members of his gang and recover more arms and ammunition in their identified camp. Commendable efforts of the Nigeria Police Operatives have also been witnessed in states including Delta, Ogun Katsina, Benue, FCT and Imo, leading to the arrests of several suspects in various locations during the Christmas celebration period.
The IGP has commended the officers involved in these operations for their vigilance and commitment to public safety, highlighting their display of exemplary dedication in safeguarding our communities, especially during this joyful season. The IGP urges the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities to the authorities.
The IGP further assures citizens that the Force is fully committed to creating a safe environment for everyone as they partake in the joy and cheer of the holiday season. As the celebrations continue, the Nigeria Police Force remains steadfast in its mission to protect all citizens and ensure that the spirit of festivities during this period remains unmarred by criminal activities.
Rabiu Kwankwaso, the former governor of Kano state, stated that the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) will reduce the influence of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.
Speaking on Wednesday at a meeting with party stakeholders in Tsanyawa LGA of the state, Kwankwaso mentioned that the NNPP aims to ensure the APC receives fewer than 15,000 votes in the 2027 elections.
In the 2023 governorship election, the NNPP garnered 1,019,602 votes, the APC secured 890,705 votes, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) came third with 15,957 votes.
Kwankwaso emphasized that the NNPP achieved the “remarkable feat” of over one million votes despite being a new political platform and starting its campaign late.
“Now, it’s our turn to diminish APC’s influence. We will work tirelessly to ensure their votes are reduced to less than 15,000 in Kano come 2027,” Kwankwaso stated.
Kwankwaso, who was the NNPP’s presidential candidate in 2023, urged his supporters to stay united and focused to ensure the party’s success in future elections.