The Kano State Government has filed a fresh fraud charge against the immediate past governor, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, his Commissioner for Local Government, Murtala Garo, and two others.
The charges, meticulously documented and submitted by the Kano State Ministry of Justice, accuse the defendants of conspiring to divert over ₦57.43 billion meant for the 44 local government areas of Kano State.
This colossal sum, intended for developmental projects and public services, was allegedly funnelled into personal accounts and used to acquire luxurious properties both locally and internationally.
The charge sheet names Garo, Lamin Sani, and Muhammad Takai, accusing them of “criminal conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, making false statements or return, and criminal misappropriation.”
The state claims they mismanaged the statutory allocations remitted to the State Joint Local Governments account from the Federation account. The allegations further state that they criminally diverted ₦57.4 billion through several personal accounts of Local Government cashiers and other personal and corporate accounts.
“The state government also accused them of transferring the funds into dollars for their personal benefits,” the charge sheet reveals. “They acquired a service apartment on the Murtala Muhammad Way, a commercial apartment at Akoya Oxygen – x20868 Dubai in Tigerwood, and plot 2201 Floor 22 Damac Height, Marsa Dubai Marina, a multi-billion naira hotel in Jabi, Abuja.”
Among other acquisitions mentioned are filling stations on Gwarzo Road Kano and Eastern Bypass Kano.
The prosecution alleged that between 2020 and 2023, the defendants orchestrated a scheme to syphon funds through various accounts, subsequently converting them into cash and foreign currencies.
The case, filed under the purview of Section 211 of the Nigerian Constitution and various sections of the Kano State Administration of Criminal Justice Law (2019), includes multiple counts of criminal conspiracy, breach of trust, and misappropriation. The prosecution’s case is bolstered by a detailed list of 143 witnesses, including local government cashiers, foreign currency exchange operators, and former bank employees. These witnesses are expected to provide crucial testimony about the defendants’ illegal activities and the intricate methods used to launder the embezzled funds.
One key witness, Inspector Muhammad Nuhu, is set to testify about the discovery of properties linked to the second defendant, Murtala Sule Garo, in Dubai. Another witness, Labaran Kura, will discuss his business dealings with the defendants, highlighting how they converted large sums of money into U.S. dollars.
The charges have been preferred under the authority granted to the Attorney General of Kano State, with the legal team comprising Ya’u A. Adamu Esq, Usman Fari Esq, Auwal Abdulqadir Sani Esq, and Hope Chukwunyere C. Esq. The case promises to be a landmark in Nigeria’s ongoing battle against corruption, potentially setting a precedent for the prosecution of high-ranking officials involved in financial crimes.
No date has been fixed for the matter, but the people of Kano State and Nigeria at large await the proceedings with bated breath, hoping for justice and accountability in the wake of this massive corruption scandal.