LAGOS, Nigeria – In an unexpected turn of events in Kano’s high-profile corruption saga, Abdulazeez Ganduje, one of the elder sons of the immediate past governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Ganduje, visited the Kano State Anti-Corruption Commission on Wednesday, April 17, 2024 evening.
The former governor’s son’s visit was to express support for the commission’s chairman, Mr. Rimingado, and to endorse the legal actions taken against his own family members, including his father, mother, and brother.
During his visit, Abdulazeez also addressed his personal grievances with Mr. Rimingado, particularly his removal as a director from one of the companies currently facing trial.
Abdulazeez expressed his distress over being ousted without his consent, highlighting internal family conflicts spilling over into legal arenas.
The backdrop to this family drama includes serious accusations Abdulazeez himself made in September 2021.
Abdulazeez filed a petition against his mother, Hafsat Ganduje, with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
In his petition, Abdulazeez detailed an incident involving a property developer who had paid him to facilitate the acquisition of land in Kano.
According to Abdulazeez, these payments were made in US dollars to his mother. However, it later emerged that the land in question had been sold to other buyers, leading to demands for a refund from the aggrieved developer.
The Kano anti-corruption commission has since taken decisive legal action, not only against Abdulazeez’s family members—his father, former Governor Ganduje; his mother, Hafsat Umar; his brother, Umar Abdullahi Umar; but also against five others.
These include Abubakar Bawuro, Jibrilla Muhammad, and companies such as Lamash Properties Limited, Safari Textiles Limited, and Lasage General Limited.
The charges encompass corruption, misappropriation, and diversion of funds, involving billions of naira.
The case continues to develop, shedding light on the complex layers of governance and familial ties intertwined with corruption in Kano.
