2 weeks ago
7
The Kano State Government has filed a 10-count transgression complaint against erstwhile Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, erstwhile Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Hassan Bello, and 5 others implicit the alleged diversion of ₦4.49 cardinal belonging to the state.
The suit, marked KN/252/2025, was lodged earlier the Kano State High Court, accusing the defendants of transgression conspiracy, misappropriation of nationalist funds, breach of trust, and struggle of involvement successful the handling of the Dala Inland Dry Port project.
Others named successful the lawsuit are Ganduje’s sons, Umar Abdullahi Umar and Muhammad Abdullahi Umar; Abubakar Sahabo Bawuro, a erstwhile Special Adviser to the Governor; Adamu Aliyu Sanda; and Dala Inland Dry Port Limited.
According to the complaint sheet, the prosecution alleged that the defendants conspired to fraudulently transportation 80 per cent shares of Dala Inland Dry Port, including the state’s 20 per cent equity to backstage ownership nether a fictitious entity known arsenic “City Green Enterprise”, purportedly to conceal the existent beneficiaries.
The prosecution further claimed that the defendants diverted implicit ₦4.49 cardinal successful authorities funds, primitively allocated for the project’s infrastructure including a treble carriageway, electricity, and perimeter fencing for idiosyncratic and household benefit.
The complaint besides alleged that the defendants utilized sham entities and proxies to fell ownership of the adust larboard shares, diverted nationalist funds to family-controlled firms, and manipulated authoritative documents and correspondence to deceive regulatory authorities. One of the transactions allegedly progressive ₦750 cardinal channeled done Safari Textile Ltd (STL Enterprise) to facilitate the diversion.
Prosecutors said the alleged fraud followed a strategy successful which the archetypal task founders were coerced into relinquishing control, retaining lone nominal shares, portion power shifted to associates linked to the defendants.
However, successful a swift reaction, the absorption of Dala Inland Dry Port (DIDP) dismissed reports linking Ganduje oregon members of his household to the ownership of the company.
In a connection signed by the Company Secretary, Barrister Adamu Aliyu Sanda, who is besides 1 of the defendants, the steadfast described the allegations arsenic “false and malicious.”
“Verified records from the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and committee resolutions corroborate that nary subordinate of the Ganduje household has ever been a shareholder, director, oregon signatory of the company,” Sanda stated.
He added that the DIDP remained a morganatic public-private concern venture, emphasising that media reports suggesting governmental interference oregon idiosyncratic ownership were unfounded.
The lawsuit has been fixed for November 17, 2025, earlier Justice Yusuf Ubale of the Kano State High Court.
English (US) ·