The Kano State government has filed an eight-count charge against former governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, his wife Hafsat Umar, son Umar Abdullahi Umar, and five others.
The charges include bribery, misappropriation, and diversion of funds.
According to the suit, Ganduje allegedly solicited and received bribes in dollars while in office.
The Kano government also accuses him of diverting funds earmarked for face masks and hospital equipment for personal gain, along with his wife and an accomplice.
The APC National Chairman is also accused of conspiring with his son and a company affiliated with his family to misappropriate land meant for public benefit.
The charges in part read:
"That you, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, sometime between the period of January 10, 2016, or thereabouts, at Kano in the Kano Judicial Division, while serving as the Governor of Kano State and being a public servant in the government of Kano State corruptly asked for and received the sum of $200,000 being benefit for yourself from one of the beneficiaries of contracts awarded by the Kano State Government on your instruction and approval as part of your function as the Governor of Kano State, thereby committed the offence of official corruption, contrary to and punishable under Section 22 of the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-corruption Commission Law 2008 (as amended), Law No 2 of 2009, Laws of Kano State of Nigeria.”
“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 through account No. 7085982019 belonging to the 3rd defendant being money earmarked and approved for the purchase and supply of face masks and other hospital equipment for the health sector, thereby causing wrongful loss to the people and the 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.”
Additionally, the Kano state governor has set up two committees to investigate Ganduje's government over alleged misappropriation of public properties, political violence, and missing persons.
At the committees' inauguration, the governor vowed to bring to book anyone found wanting on conclusion of the probe.
This is contained in a statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary tp the governor, Sanusi Tofa.
