Kano Govt sues Ganduje, Sons over alleged ₦4.49bn misappropriation

The Kano State Government has filed a lawsuit at the Kano State High Court against former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, his two sons, and several associates over alleged misappropriation of public funds totaling ₦4,492,387,013.76 and the unlawful transfer of the state’s 20 per cent equity stake in Dala Inland Dry Port Limited.

The case, filed on October 13, 2025, lists Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje; his sons, Umar Abdullahi Umar and Muhammad Abdullahi Umar; former Special Adviser Abubakar Sahabo Bawuro; ex-Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers Council, Hassan Bello; legal practitioner Adamu Aliyu Sanda; and Dala Inland Dry Port Limited as defendants.

The defendants face a ten-count charge, including criminal conspiracy, breach of trust, conflict of interest, and diversion of public funds. According to the charge sheet, they allegedly conspired to transfer 80 per cent of the dry port shares—including Kano’s 20 per cent equity—to private hands under a shell company named City Green Enterprise.

Prosecutors allege that the transaction was intentionally disguised to hide the true ownership of the project, originally designed to enhance Kano’s economic infrastructure. “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.

Investigators claim that over ₦4.49 billion in public funds was siphoned under the guise of funding infrastructure for the dry port, including road construction, electricity supply, and fencing, but that the projects ultimately benefited private companies owned by the accused and their relatives.

A source close to the investigation described the act as “a systematic looting of public wealth,” adding that the projects were funded with state resources to advance private interests.

According to court documents, former Governor Ganduje allegedly transferred the state’s equity without the consent of other board members. “The prosecution will prove beyond reasonable doubt that the equity transfer was neither legal nor transparent. A governor cannot single-handedly transfer state assets into private hands,” the prosecution maintained.

The trial is expected to feature several key witnesses, including the lead investigator and a former stakeholder in the project who claims he was excluded during the alleged takeover. A policy document from former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration confirming Kano’s 20 per cent stake in the port project will also be tendered as evidence.

Investigators also cited a ₦750 million transaction allegedly routed through Safari Textile Ltd (STL Enterprise), believed to be one of the front companies used to move funds.

Although a trial date has not been fixed, the case has been assigned to High Court 2 of the Kano State Judiciary, under Justice Yusuf Ubale.

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

Efforts to reach Ganduje and his legal team for comment were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.