The Kano State Government has filed a fresh fraud charge against the immediate past governor, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, his Commissioner for Local Government, Murtala Garo, and two others.
The charges submitted by the state governor accuse the defendants of conspiring to divert over ₦57.43 billion meant for the 44 local government areas of Kano State.
This colossal sum, intended for developmental projects and public services, was allegedly funnelled into personal accounts and used to acquire luxurious properties both locally and internationally.
The charge sheet names Garo, Lamin Sani, and Muhammad Takai, accusing them of “criminal conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, making false statements or return, and criminal misappropriation.”
The state claims they mismanaged the statutory allocations remitted to the State Joint Local Governments account from the Federation account. The allegations further state that they criminally diverted ₦57.4 billion through several personal accounts of Local Government cashiers and other personal and corporate accounts.
“The state government also accused them of transferring the funds into dollars for their personal benefits,” the charge sheet reveals. “They acquired a service apartment on the Murtala Muhammad Way, a commercial apartment at Akoya Oxygen – x20868 Dubai in Tigerwood, and plot 2201 Floor 22 Damac Height, Marsa Dubai Marina, a multi-billion naira hotel in Jabi, Abuja.”
Among other acquisitions mentioned are filling stations on Gwarzo Road Kano and Eastern Bypass Kano.