The Kano State government has filed new charges against former governor Abdullahi Ganduje and several associates, accusing them of diverting N57 billion intended for the state’s 44 local government areas.
Ganduje, along with Murtala Garo, a former commissioner of local government, Lamin Sani, and Muhammad Takai, are alleged to have converted the funds into dollars for personal use.
These new charges follow accusations made just a month ago, where Ganduje and Musa Lawan, the state’s former attorney-general, were charged with diverting N240 million.
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The charge sheet indicates that the state plans to call 143 witnesses to testify against the defendants.
Among the properties allegedly acquired with the diverted funds are a serviced apartment on Murtala Muhammad Way in Kano, a commercial property at Akoya Oxygen in Dubai, another property at Damac Heights in Dubai Marina, and a multi-billion naira hotel in Jabi, Abuja.
Additionally, the defendants are accused of owning filling stations on Gwarzo Road and Eastern Bypass in Kano.
A hearing date for these fresh charges has not yet been set.
Earlier, on April 4, the Kano government also filed a suit against Ganduje, his wife Hafsat Umar, and six others, including his son Umar Abdullahi Umar.
The other defendants in that case are Abubakar Bawuro, Jibrilla Muhammad, Lamash Properties Ltd., Safari Textiles Ltd., and Lesage General Enterprises.