A High Court in Kano State has assumed jurisdiction over a multi-billion naira fraud case involving the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, after rejecting his bid to dismiss the charges.
Ganduje and seven others had filed an application challenging the court’s authority to hear the case. However, Justice Amina Adamu Aliyu dismissed the application, deeming it legally incompetent and unsupported by relevant authorities.
The Kano State government has filed an 11-count charge against Ganduje, his wife Hafsat Umar, and six others, accusing them of bribery, conspiracy, misappropriation, and diversion of public funds amounting to several billions of naira.
The co-defendants include Abubakar Bawuro, Umar Abdullahi Umar, Jibrilla Muhammad, Lamash Properties Limited, Safari Textiles Limited, and Lasage General Enterprises Limited.
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In her ruling on Tuesday, Justice Aliyu ruled that the charges, filed on May 13, 2024, were valid and could proceed to trial.
She further clarified that the power to investigate criminal matters is not exclusive to the police, affirming that the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission is also legally empowered to conduct such investigations.
“The case should proceed to trial even in the absence of Ganduje and six others,” the judge ruled.
She also called the sixth defendant, Lamash Properties Limited, and postponed the case to July 30 and 31 for a hearing.
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