Kano State Files New Legal Charges Against Ganduje, Garo, Others Over ₦57.4 Billion Alleged Misappropriation

The Kano State Government has initiated a fresh legal action against former Governor Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, former Commissioner for Local Government Murtala Garo, and two others.

The charges, as outlined in court documents, include criminal conspiracy, breach of trust, false statement production, and the misappropriation of funds.

The News Agency of Nigeria reported that the charges involve the alleged mismanagement of statutory allocations from the Federation account to the 44 local governments, which were funneled into the State Joint Local Governments account.

The defendants are accused of diverting ₦57.4 billion by routing the funds through the personal accounts of local government cashiers and other individual and corporate accounts. The funds were allegedly converted into dollars for personal use, leading to the acquisition of several properties, including a service apartment on Murtala Muhammad Way, a commercial property at Akoya Oxygen in Dubai, a plot at Damac Height, Marsa Dubai Marina, and a multi-billion-naira hotel in Jabi, Abuja.

The state government has indicated its plan to present 143 witnesses during the trial, although a court date has yet to be set.

Previously, on April 4, the Kano State Government had filed charges against Ganduje, his wife Hafsat Umar, their son Umar Abdullahi Umar, and six others, including business entities such as Lamash Properties Ltd., Safari Textiles Ltd., and Lesage General Enterprises.