News
Kano state government files 8-count charge against Ganduje for receiving $200k from contractor
The Kano government has filed an eight-count charge against Abdullahi Ganduje, former governor of the state, for allegedly collecting $200,000 from a contractor.
In a charge sheet seen by newsmen and filed before the Kano high court, the state government said the offence contravened Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Commission Commission Law 2008.
The defendants in the case are Ganduje, Hafsat Umar, Abubakar Bawuro, Umar Abdullahi Umar, Jibrilla Muhammad, Lamash Properties Limited, Safari Textiles Limited, and Lesaga General Enterprises
The state government also accused Ganduje of collecting $210,000 kickback from “people and entities seeking or holding the execution of Kano State Government contract and or project for the remodelling of Kantin Kwari textile market as a bribe through one of the contractors (agent)”.
“That you, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje sometime between the period of September 2020 and March 2021 or thereabout, at Kano in the Kano Judicial Division, together with one Hafsat Umar (your spouse) and Abubakar Bawuro, a Businessman, Safari Textile Ltd, a limited liability company, wholly owned and maintained by the 3rd Defendant, agreed to do an illegal act to wit: dishonestly converted to your own use the sum of N1,376,000,000.00 (One Billion Three Hundred and seventy-six million Naira) through account No. 7085982019 belonging to the 3rd Defendant being monies earmarked and approved for the purchase and supply of face marks and other hospital equipment for the health sector, thereby causing wrongful loss to the people and government of Kano State and thereby jointly committed the offence of Criminal Conspiracy contrary to section 96 and punishable under section 97 of The penal code (as amended) CAP, 105, Vol.2. The Laws of Kano State of Nigeria, 1991,” part of the charge sheet reads
“That you, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, sometime between the period of September 2020 and January 2022 or thereabout, at Kano in the Kano Judicial Division, together with one Hafsat Umar (your spouse) and Abubakar Bawuro, a Businessman, Safari Textile Ltd, a limited liability company, while entrusted with the sum of N1,376,000,000.00 (One Billion Three Hundred and seventy-six million Naira) or dominion over the said sum, earmarked for the purchase and supply of face masks and other hospital equipment dishonestly misappropriated and/or converted the said sum to your own use through account No. 7085982019 belonging to the 3rd defendant, thereby jointly committed the offence of Criminal Breach of Trust contrary to section 311 and punishable under section 312 of The penal code (as amended) CAP, 105, Vol.2.
“That you, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje sometime between the period March of 2021 or thereabout, at Kano in the Kano Judicial Division, while serving as the Governor and being a public servant in the government of Kano State for your own benefit and that of your immediate family conspire with the 4th defendant (Umar Abdullahi Umar) being your biological son using 6th defendant (Lamash Properties Ltd) a company owned and or operated by members of your family including the 4th defendant and dishonestly allocated 501 (five hundred and one) high-density plots of lands you hold in trust for the benefit all Nigerians at Zawachiki layout No. TP/KNUPD/256B in the name of the 6th defendant company under the pretext of site and services arrangement in the land compulsory acquired by you being the Governor of Kano State from destitute members of the public (peasant farmers) where it was sold and the proceed part of which the sum of #700,000,000.00 (Seven Hundred Million Naira) was deposited in the account of Bureau de change operator vision Steel link Ltd No. Domicile at Access Bank where dollar equivalent was given to the 4th defendant to the detriment of the people and government of Kano State thereby jointly committed the offence of Criminal Conspiracy contrary to section 96 and punishable under section 97 of The penal code (as amended) CAP,105, Vol.2. The Laws of Kano State of Nigeria, 1991.
“That you, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje sometime between the period March of 2021 or thereabout, at Kano in the Kano Judicial Division, while serving as the Governor and being a public servant in the government of Kano State for your own benefit and that of your immediate family conspire with the 4th defendant Umar Abdullahi Umar, being your biological son using 6th defendant Lamash Properties Ltd a company substantially owned and or operated by members of your family including the 4th defendant and dishonestly allocated 501 (five hundred and one) high-density plots of lands you hold in trust for the benefit all Nigerians at Zawachiki layout No. TP/KNUPDA/256B in the name of the 6th defendant company under the pretext of site and services arrangement in the land compulsory acquired by you as a governor of Kano state from destitute members of the public (peasant farmers) which was sold and the proceeds, the sum of #700,000,000.00 (Seven Hundred Million Naira) was deposited in the account of Bureau de change operator vision Steel link Ltd No. 7816362026 Domicile at FCMB where dollar equivalent was given to the 4th defendant thereby causing wrongful gain to yourself and causing wrongful loss to the people and government of Kano State thereby jointly committed the offence Criminal Breach of Trust contrary to section 311 and read together with section 79 and punishable under section 312 of The Penal Code (as amended), CAP. 105, Vol. 2. The Laws of the Kano State of Nigeria, 1991.”
The state government said a forensic expert would analyse the video, showing the former governor receiving dollar notes from a contractor.
BACKGROUND
Ganduje, national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), served as governor of Kano from 2015 to 2023.
In 2018, Daily Nigerian, an online newspaper, published a video of Ganduje allegedly receiving bundles of dollars from contractors, which he stuffed into his “babanriga”, a traditional outfit
The newspaper said the former governor requested $5 million as a bribe from the contractors who recorded the video.
In 2023, the Kano state Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission (PCACC) invited Ganduje for questioning over the incident in the video.
The former governor did not honour the invitation and instead instituted a suit against the agency.
In March, a federal high court in Kano stopped the agency from inviting or questioning Ganduje over the bribery allegations.
The court ruled that the agency lacks the power to invite or investigate Ganduje over the allegations.
Abdullahi Liman, the presiding judge, said the alleged infraction is a federal offence that cannot be prosecuted by the state anti-graft agency.
Esther Marcus, a woman who claims to be a retired deputy superintendent of police (DSP), has criticised the “poor treatment of retirees” under the contributory pension scheme.
In a viral video, Marcus described the contributory pension scheme as “dirty,” noting that she was paid N1.7 million as her gratuity and placed on a monthly pension of N40,000 after 35 years of service.
“My name is Esther Marcus, a retired DSP of the Nigerian Police Force. I retired on November 1, 2018,” she said
“I just want to use myself as a case study. It is applicable to every other police officer under this dirty contributory pension scheme.”
Recounting her experience, Marcus said she joined the force at age 16 and served for 35 years.
“After serving for 35 years… I waited for over a year before I was given N1.7 million,” she added.
“Then, after waiting for another three months, they started paying me N40,000 as my monthly pension… That applies to every other policeman and policewoman who retired under this dirty scheme called the contributory pension scheme.”
Marcus alleged that the federal government had ignored the plight of police retirees despite repeated appeals and public hearings.
She criticised the disparity in treatment between police retirees and those from other security agencies like the Nigerian Army and Department of Secret Service (DSS), who she claimed did not face similar challenges.
“This struggle has been ongoing for over 10 years now… They are aware of what we’re going through. They’ve held about three or four public hearings on this case. But when the Army was retiring, the DSS and other paramilitary forces, there was nothing like a public hearing,” she said.
Marcus urged police retirees to occupy the national assembly to demand justice, saying the government’s indifference has exacerbated their suffering.
“We will not stop fighting. What we are planning now is to go and occupy their National Assembly and call CNN to cover the whole programme,” she said.
“Anyone who is against us will not escape from this evil bondage, that person, that man, that group who doesn’t want the police to be exempted from this evil— they are vultures because a vulture only waits for its victim to die, then it comes to feed. And that’s what’s been happening.
“You want the police, knowing fully well that when they retire, they are going into hell; you want them to stop corruption? They will continue collecting. They will continue extorting. They will continue enriching themselves by whatever means they can.”
At least eight people sustained varying degrees of injuries after a commercial bus, popularly known as a Molue, crashed into the road median at the Ahmadiya axis of the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway on Friday.
The spokesperson for the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, Adebayo Taofiq, disclosed this in a statement on Friday.
Taofiq explained that the accident occurred when the bus driver veered off the road in an attempt to avoid colliding with pedestrians standing at the bus stop.
He added that the driver lost control of the vehicle, causing it to crash into the median and overturn, leading to injuries among the passengers and the driver.
Taofiq stated, “The accident was triggered when the vehicle, registered as KTU 801 XM, lost control due to excessive speed, reportedly caused by driver impatience.
“In an attempt to avoid colliding with another LT commercial bus and pedestrians waiting at the roadside, the driver veered sharply, resulting in the bus crashing into the expressway median and overturning.
“Eight individuals, including five men and three women, sustained varying degrees of injuries. Among the injured was the bus driver, who suffered a fractured left arm.”
“The injured victims were taken to Ile-Epo General Hospital thanks to the swift response of LASTMA personnel and officials from the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS).
“LASTMA officers promptly arrived at the scene, executing a coordinated and efficient rescue operation.
“All victims were immediately handed over to LASAMBUS medical personnel and transported to the General Hospital at Ile-Epo for urgent medical attention,” Taofiq added.
Reacting to the incident, the LASTMA General Manager, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, through Taofiq, sympathised with the injured and urged motorists to prioritise safety at all times.
“He emphasised the paramount importance of adhering strictly to traffic regulations, particularly compliance with speed limits as prescribed by the Lagos State Government.
“Mr Bakare-Oki also implored both commercial and private vehicle operators to prioritise regular vehicle maintenance, especially of critical systems such as brakes, to prevent avoidable accidents,” Taofiq noted.
The police command in Jigawa has arrested a woman for allegedly poisoning the food at her wedding.
The incident reportedly led to the death of one of the guests, with the groom left critically ill and hospitalised.
Lawan Adam, the Jigawa police command spokesperson, said the incident occurred in Jahun LGA, adding that an investigation has commenced.
He said the bride and another woman are being interrogated by the criminal investigation department of the command.
“We received a report that the bride had tainted the food served at the wedding reception, leaving the groom critically ill,” Adam said.
“Police have arrested two suspects in connection with the alleged food poisoning incident that occurred during a wedding ceremony in the state.
“The command is currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident, and we will provide more details as soon as possible.
“For now, we can confirm that the incident occurred, and we are working tirelessly to unravel the facts.
“We urge the public to remain calm and assured that justice will be served. We will do everything in our power to ensure that justice is served.”
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Bodex F. Hungbo, SPMIIM is a multiple award-winning Nigerian Digital Media Practitioner, Digital Strategist, PR consultant, Brand and Event Expert, Tv Presenter, Tier-A Blogger/Influencer, and a top cobbler in Nigeria.
She has widespread experiences across different professions and skills, which includes experiences in; Marketing, Media, Broadcasting, Brand and Event Management, Administration and Management with prior stints at MTN, NAPIMS-NNPC, GLOBAL FLEET OIL AND GAS, LTV, Silverbird and a host of others
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