Kano anti-graft agency: Ganduje used BDCs to change state funds to dollars

Muhuyi Magaji, chairman of the Kano state Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission (PCCAC), says the agency has traced N51.3 billion allegedly diverted by Abdullahi Ganduje, former governor of the state.

Magaji spoke during an interview on Arise TV. He said the funds traced by the anti-corruption commission were half of the over N100 billion meant for LGs in the state.

“The monies were channelled to different local government accounts. They then met with local government staff to create false expenditure with a payment voucher and then diverted the money through a third party,” he said.

“We traced a lot of the diverted funds to various individual accounts at the single market and subsequently took the money in cash to the state government house with someone stationed with a counting machine.

“After that, they changed it to dollars and then took it to certain individuals. We have a bureau de change who will testify that money was sent to him and how it was changed to dollars.

“We have been able to trace over N51.3 billion based on confessional statements and how they were diverted. What we are tracking is well over N100 billion.”

The Kano anti-graft chair added that about 200 people confessed to how the Ganduje-led administration directed them to pad up their expenditure.

“About 200 people confessed to the commission that they took this money and ‘this money that they asked us to write, we purchased a car for hospital, we purchased antigenic drugs…’ it’s all lies,” he said.

“We had it and we didn’t even see the money. We only produced the premium. But the cashier confessed to the commission that this money, we have taken it to so-and-so person and that person was invited by the commission.

“He equally confessed that, yes, this person take it to so-and-so. So this is one. We established N51.3 billion.

“So as I’m talking to you now, we have a cogent and verifiable evidence that we are taking to court on this case.”

Magaji also alleged that Ganduje sold a company belonging to the state government at a ridiculous price to the first family of the state.

“The spouse of the former governor, she used to be the secretary of all the accounts that were linked in such particular allegations and the allegations is not all about this 51 billion. Because this 51, as I’m telling you, is virtually, I think it’s 90 percent of it was taken in cash. It’s only been traced. But it was taken in cash,” he added.

“But this one, it is on a particular issue. Whereby, you know, a company belonging to Kano government was sold to a company that belonged to the first family and this first family, all these people you mentioned, they were directors and that, including the person that you just mentioned, visited me in the office and at the same time, the spouse, I mean the wife of the former governor, is the secretary of that account and that company is a cotton ginnery that deals with the ginnery of cotton.

“We have cotton ginnery, we have cotton tannery. All the two companies were sold. But this particular one was sold to his family and under his hand, at the stupid price of, ridiculous price, forgive me, of N320 million. Instead of the bono of the property, which was N2 billion.

“So you see, and even the said N320 million was not remitted. It was only, we were only able to trace. We traced 90 million naira and this 90 million naira, we traced it back to this local government money.”

Magaji concluded that the ultimate goal of investigating Ganduje is to serve as a deterrent to others.

On April 18, Abdulazeez Ganduje, son of the former governor, visited the anti-graft agency to show support for the commission’s case against his dad, mum and brother.

In 2021, Abdulazeez dragged Hafsat Ganduje, his mother, to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over a bribery and land fraud case.