Ganduje could be in trouble after Kano anti-graft agency arrests his works commissioner

FORMER Kano State governor Dr Abdullahi Ganduje could be facing prosecution shortly after the State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission arrested his commissioner for works and infrastructure Engineer Idris Saleh.

Back in 2018, Daily Nigerian publisher Jaafar Jaafar exposed the corrupt antics of Governor Ganduje in  when he published a video of him stuffing dollars into his pockets. He showed Governor Ganduje receiving what looked like bribes from a contractor and stuffing the money into his agbada.

In the recording, he pointed out that the governor normally demands a 30% cut from all state contracts which contractors have to cough up in cash if they want the work. An enquiry was initiated by the Kano State House of Assembly but the governor successfully got an injunction to stop it.

Since then, Governor Ganduje was narrowly re-elected in 2019 and has gone after many of those opposed to him at the time, including the former Emir of Kano Alhaji Lamido Sanusi. However, now that his tenure has ended, the former governor may be in the firing line as the new Kano State governor Abba Yusuf appears to be taking the fight against corruption seriously.

Governor Yusuf has reinstated the Kano State anti-graft czar Barrister Muhyi Magaji Rimin Gado and has promised that all those accused of bribery and corruption would pay for their sins. One of the first acts of the agency has been to arrest Engineer Saleh and five others over allegations of a N1bn ($1.3m) fraud matter.

Abba Kabir, a spokesman of the commission, confirmed that those arrested are undergoing interrogation and would be arraigned before the court immediately investigation is completed. It remains to be seen if Dr Ganduje will be arrested by the anti-graft agency or if his case will be referred to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.