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Bribery, Corruption: Kano Govt Files Criminal Charges Against Ex-Gov Ganduje, Wife, Son
The Kano State government has filed a fresh lawsuit against former Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, his wife Hafsat Umar and six others before a State High Court.
The six other defendants joined in the fresh suit include Ganduje’s son, Umar Abdullahi Umar, Abubakar Bawuro, Jibrilla Muhammad, Lamash Properties Ltd, Safari Textiles Ltd, and Lesage General Enterprises.
The government is dragging Ganduje and seven others before the court on eight count charges concerning dollar bribery allegation, misappropriations and diversion of funds running into billions of Naira.
The charges read: “That you, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje Sometimes between the period of January 10th 2016 or thereabout, 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 (Two Hundred Thousand United State Dollars) 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 N02 of 2009, Laws of Kano State of Nigeria.
“That you, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje Sometime between the period of February 2017 or there about, 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 agreed to do or caused to be done an illegal act, to wit, dishonestly and/or corruptly to your own advantage collected a kick back of the sum of $ 213,000 (Two Hundred And Thirteen Thousand United State Dollars) being money generated from people and entities seeking or holding the execution of Kano State Government contact and or project for the remodeling of Kantin Kwari textile market as a bribe through one of the contractors (agent) thereby committed the offence of official corruption contrary to and punishable under Section 22 of The Kano State Public Complaints and Anticorruption Commission Law 2008 (as amended), Law N02 of 2009, Laws of Kano State of Nigeria.
“That you, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje Sometimes 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 Business man, Safari Textile Ltd, a limited liability company, wholly owned and maintained by the 3 rd Defendant, agreed to do an illegal act to wit: dishonestly converted to your own use the sum of (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.
“That you, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, sometimes 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 Business man, Safari Textile Ltd, a limited liability company, while entrusted with the sum of (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 3 rd 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.
The Laws of Kano State of Nigeria, 1991.
“That you, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje Sometimes between the period march of 2021 or there about, 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 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 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) were it was sold and the proceed part of which the sum of (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 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,” the charges read.
The Libyan Football Federation (LFF) has addressed the circumstances behind the extended delay at Al Abraq International Airport, where the Super Eagles of Nigeria were held hostage for over 15 hours, and attributed the situation to routine air traffic and logistical challenges rather than deliberate foul play.
In a statement on Monday via X, the LFF sought to clarify the events, emphasising that the diversion of the Nigerian team’s flight was not intended as a hostile act.
“We firmly reject any claims that suggest foul play or sabotage in this situation,” the LFF said.
Meanwhile, in the most recent development, Super Eagles players and officials have been reportedly set to depart from Libya.
This was disclosed by a sports enthusiast, identified as Pooja Media, via his X handle on Monday, according to The Punch report.
He wrote, “Super Eagles players and all officials are boarding to fly out of Libya to Nigeria. Thank God.”
Confirming this, a player, Bruno Onyemaechi, wrote, “Me and Libya, I don wash my hands commot. Nothing concerns me and una again. Thank God I’m going back.”
The team, held at an abandoned airport for over 15 hours, has resolved not to play the match, citing safety concerns.
Nigeria Football Federation director of communications, Ademola Olajire, confirmed that the team would fly back home.
“Players have resolved not to play the match any longer as NFF officials are making plans to fly the team back home,” Olajire stated.
Four Israeli soldiers have been killed and more than 60 people injured in a Hezbollah drone attack on an army base in central-northern Israel, according to first responders and the Israeli military.
The incident late Sunday local time is one of the bloodiest attacks on Israel since the beginning of the war last October.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said an unmanned aerial vehicle, or UAV, launched by Hezbollah hit an army base adjacent to Binyamina, a town north of Tel Aviv that lies some 40 miles from the Lebanese border.
The four killed soldiers were all 19 years old and in infantry training at the base, the IDF said, adding that eight other soldiers were severely injured.
According to Israel’s Magen David Adom emergency service, a total of 61 people were wounded in the attack, with dozens still hospitalized.
The news comes after Hezbollah said Sunday it had fired a swarm of attack drones on an Israeli infantry training camp in Binyamina.
The Lebanon-based militant group said the attack was in response to deadly Israeli strikes in Lebanon Thursday.
Hezbollah said it had targeted the Golani Brigade, an infantry unit of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) that has been deployed in southern Lebanon. The claim of responsibility for the attack came shortly after the militant group released an audio message from its slain leader Hassan Nasrallah calling on its members to “defend your people, your family, your nation, your values and your dignity.”
Earlier on Sunday, the IDF said it had intercepted a Lebanon-launched UAV without specifying where. It was not immediately clear whether this was the same incident that led to the injuries.
Israeli air defence systems tend to be very reliable, but on Sunday, there were no reports of alerts in the Binyamina area at the time of the attack, raising questions of how the drone was able to penetrate so deep into the Israeli territory without being spotted.
Hezbollah said it had fired dozens of rockets toward the northern Israeli towns of Nahariya and Acre to engage Israel’s air defense systems, while simultaneously launching the drone swarm.
“These drones broke through the Israel defense radars without detection and reached its target at the training camp of the elite Golani Brigade in Binyamina,” Hezbollah said.
The IDF’s top spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said the military would investigate how the drone got through without raising an alarm at the base.
“We will learn from and investigate the incident,” he said in a video statement from the base. “The threat of UAVs is a threat we are dealing with since the beginning of the war. We need an improvement to our defense,” he added.
Source: CNN
The Court of Appeal has upheld the judgment of the Federal High Court, affirming Martins Amaehwule as the rightful Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
Recall that the Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, had challenged the judgement of Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court Abuja, which affirmed Amaehwule’s leadership.
This ruling is a victory for the camp of former Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike, who has been at odds with Governor Fubara.
Governor Fubara has also been ordered to re-present the 2024 budget to the Amaehwule-led House of Assembly.
