The Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission (PCACC) has opened a new investigation into the alleged diversion of over ₦4 billion in state funds linked to the administration of former Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje. The funds were reportedly channelled into the Dala Inland Dry Port (DIDP) project, despite claims that the state no longer held any equity stake in the venture.
According to findings, the money was allegedly released in 2020 under the guise of infrastructural development for the port, even though documents suggest that the state’s purported 20 percent equity stake had already been transferred to individuals linked to the former governor’s family. This move, investigators say, effectively removed Kano State from the list of shareholders while state funds continued to flow into the project.
The PCACC confirmed that it had received several petitions alleging large-scale financial misappropriation involving the inland port and that its probe was nearing completion. The Commission revealed that several individuals had been questioned, with one suspect already arrested and later released on bail after providing useful information. Another person of interest, said to be resident in Yola, Adamawa State, is being sought for further interrogation as part of the ongoing inquiry.
Investigation Nearing Completion
The Commission’s chairman, Saidu Yahya, said the decision to investigate was prompted by mounting public pressure for accountability in the state’s major infrastructural investments. He disclosed that a prima facie case had already been established, indicating the likelihood of prosecution once all key witnesses had been interviewed.
The alleged mismanagement has raised broader concerns about how successive administrations handled public-private partnerships, particularly those involving large financial commitments. Critics argue that disbursing billions of naira to a project that the state may have lost ownership of could constitute gross financial misconduct and abuse of office.
The controversy has revived public debate about transparency in Kano’s development projects and the oversight mechanisms governing the use of public funds. Civil society organisations and residents have urged the Commission to ensure that the investigation leads to concrete accountability and restitution where necessary.
In response to the allegations, the management of Dala Inland Dry Port has denied any involvement of the Ganduje family or the Kano State Government in its ownership structure. The company stated that verified records from the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) confirm that neither Dr. Ganduje nor any family member holds shares, directorship, or signatory authority in the firm.
It added that the company’s ownership lies primarily with City Green Enterprises, which currently holds 80 percent of the shares, while the remaining 20 percent is retained by a private investor, Ahmad Rabi’u, who allegedly has yet to complete payment for his stake.
Company Denies State or Family Ownership
The company also dismissed documents circulating online that purportedly show Ganduje’s children as shareholders, describing them as forgeries allegedly produced without board consent. It accused a former managing director of manipulating corporate documents to create a false narrative for political purposes after his removal from office.
Furthermore, the management maintained that Kano State had never been a shareholder in the company. According to its account, the state’s role was limited to providing supporting infrastructure, such as access roads and utilities, as part of its corporate social responsibility initiative to attract investment to the region.
The company also clarified that no representative from the Kano State Government ever sat on its board, insisting that references to a certain Abdullahi Haruna as a state-appointed director were entirely fictitious. It argued that it would be impossible to “remove” an entity that never existed within the company’s ownership structure in the first place, reaffirming that all filings with the CAC from inception to date showed no link to either the Ganduje family or the state.
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The management has since described the allegations as a deliberate attempt to tarnish the image of the former governor and destabilise investor confidence in the logistics and port development sector. It called for restraint while the Commission completes its investigation and presents its findings through appropriate legal channels.
Meanwhile, in Kano, the development has sparked a wave of public reactions. Several civil society groups have demanded that the state government recover any funds proven to have been misused and ensure that those found culpable face justice. Residents have also expressed frustration over what they described as recurring financial scandals that hinder infrastructural development and economic progress in the state.
The Dala Inland Dry Port, initially conceived as a major logistics hub for the movement of goods from Nigeria’s northern region to international markets, was expected to strengthen the state’s role in cross-border trade. However, the project has since become entangled in political controversy, with questions over ownership, transparency, and financial accountability dominating public discourse.
With the PCACC investigation at an advanced stage, legal analysts predict that the case could become one of the most consequential corruption prosecutions to emerge from the Ganduje era. As the Commission prepares to submit its findings to the state judiciary, stakeholders across the state and beyond are watching closely, hoping the probe will mark a decisive step towards strengthening accountability in Kano’s governance system.
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