The Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission (PCCAC) has revealed that approximately N51.3 billion, allegedly misused by former governor Abdullahi Ganduje, who currently serves as the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has been traced.
Chairman of the PCCAC, Muhuyi Magaji, made this disclosure during an interview on Arise TV.
Under the leadership of Governor Abba Yusuf of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), the Kano State government has initiated legal proceedings against Ganduje for purported misappropriation, dollar bribery, and other offenses.
Magaji explained that the N51.3 billion attributed to Ganduje was funneled into various local government accounts. He detailed how the funds were manipulated through the creation of false expenditures using payment vouchers and then diverted through intermediaries.
“We have tracked a significant portion of the diverted funds to various individual accounts within the market, after which the money was converted into cash and transported to the state government house with a person stationed there using a counting machine,” Magaji said.
He further revealed that the converted cash was then changed into dollars and distributed to specific individuals, with evidence to be provided by a bureau de change operator.
Magaji asserted, “We have been able to trace over N51.3 billion based on confessions and diversion methods. Our ongoing investigation indicates the misappropriated funds exceed N100 billion.”
Additionally, Magaji disclosed that numerous government officials have confessed to their involvement in the diversion of funds. He highlighted instances where individuals claimed to have purchased items for hospitals using the diverted money, which were later proven to be false.
Regarding allegations of selling a state government-owned company to Ganduje’s family, Magaji stated, “A company owned by the Kano government was sold to a firm belonging to the first family, with the former governor’s wife serving as its secretary. This company, engaged in cotton ginning, was sold at a significantly reduced price of N320 million, despite its actual value being N2 billion. Furthermore, the N320 million was not fully accounted for, as our investigations have revealed.”
These revelations suggest widespread financial misconduct during Ganduje’s tenure, with substantial evidence being prepared for court proceedings.