The trial of former Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje has taken a new turn with the Kano State Government filing additional fraud charges against him. Ganduje, along with former Commissioner for Local Government Murtala Garo, Lamin Sani, and Muhammad Takai, faces allegations of criminal conspiracy, breach of trust, false statements, and criminal misappropriation.
The updated charges accuse them of mismanaging funds intended for Kano’s 44 local governments. Specifically, they are alleged to have diverted N57.4 billion through personal and corporate accounts, converting the funds into dollars for personal gain. The state also claims they acquired luxury properties, including a commercial apartment in Dubai and a hotel in Abuja.
The Kano government plans to present 143 witnesses, though no trial date has been set. Earlier, on April 4, the Kano government filed a suit against Ganduje, his wife Hafsat Umar, and six others, including Ganduje’s son Umar Abdullahi Umar and various companies.