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The Kano State Government has filed a lawsuit at the Kano State High Court against former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, two of his sons, and several others.
The suit seeks to reclaim the state’s 20 per cent equity stake in Dala Inland Dry Port Limited and recover allegedly misappropriated public funds totaling ₦4,492,387,013.76.
The case, filed on October 13, 2025, lists as defendants Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje; his sons, Umar Abdullahi Umar and Muhammad Abdullahi Umar; Abubakar Sahabo Bawuro, former Special Adviser; Hassan Bello, ex-Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers Council; Adamu Aliyu Sanda, a legal practitioner; and Dala Inland Dry Port Limited.
The defendants face a ten-count charge, including criminal conspiracy, misappropriation of public funds, breach of trust, and conflict of interest.
According to the charge sheet, the defendants allegedly conspired to fraudulently transfer 80 per cent shares of the dry port, including the state’s 20 per cent equity, to private interests under a shell company named City Green Enterprise.
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Prosecutors claim the transaction was deliberately disguised to conceal the true ownership of the port project, which was initially designed to boost Kano’s economic infrastructure.
“The defendants deliberately hijacked a federal initiative and used proxies and fake entities to conceal the diversion of public assets meant for the people of Kano State,” the prosecution stated.
The prosecution further alleges that over ₦4.49 billion in public funds was syphoned under the guise of developing infrastructure at the dry port, including the construction of a double carriageway, electricity, and fencing.
According to government investigators, these projects were funded with state resources but designed to benefit private firms owned by the accused and their relatives.
“These projects were funded with state resources but tailored to benefit private and family interests. This is not just a betrayal of public trust but a systematic looting of public wealth,” a source close to the investigation revealed.
The summary of evidence alleges that the initial board of Dala Inland Dry Port Limited included a representative of the Kano State Government, one Abdullahi Haruna. However, the alleged share transfer was said to have been executed unilaterally by former Governor Ganduje without the consent of other board members.
“The prosecution will prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the equity transfer was neither legal nor transparent,” said the prosecution. “Key board members were sidelined. A governor cannot single-handedly transfer state assets into private hands.”
The case will feature several high-level witnesses, including the lead investigating officer and an early stakeholder who claims he was sidelined during the alleged takeover.
Also expected to be tendered is a policy document dating back to the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, which reportedly confirms Kano State’s 20 per cent stake in the dry port project.
The fourth defendant, according to prosecutors, was tasked with conducting research confirming the state’s equity share, evidence the prosecution says will be central to the case.
Documents alleged to have been falsified and used to mislead regulators will also be presented, alongside evidence of a ₦750 million transaction channeled through Safari Textile Ltd (STL Enterprise), one of several companies believed to be fronts.
Although no trial date has been fixed, the matter has been assigned to High Court 2 of the Kano State Judiciary, presided over by Justice Yusuf Ubale.
“The government is committed to accountability and the recovery of all looted funds and properties,” said a senior official at the Kano State Ministry of Justice. “This is about protecting public resources, not personal vendettas.”
Efforts to reach Ganduje or his legal team for comment were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.
