The Kano State government has revealed that during a recent protest, vandals who stormed the State High Court made off with critical documents related to the corruption trial of former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje.
Reports indicate that the Kano government had charged Ganduje, his wife Hafsat, his son Umar Abdullahi, and five others with eight counts of misappropriation and diversion of funds during Ganduje’s eight-year tenure as governor
The State High Court, now a crime scene, was among the properties vandalized and looted during the #EndBadGovernance protest.
On Wednesday, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf visited the court to assess the extent of the damage.
Accompanied by the Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Barrister Haruna Isah Dederi, Chief Registrar of the High Court, Alhaji Abdullahi Ado Bayero, and several judges, the governor was briefed on the destruction.
Governor Yusuf’s spokesperson, Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, described the vandalism as a calculated effort to undermine the corruption case against Ganduje.
“It is very unfortunate that enemies of Kano State hired undesirable elements to vandalize one of the historic public buildings with a mission of averting corruption charges against the Ag. National Chairman of APC and former governor of the state Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, his family, and aides,” Daily Trust quoted Tofa as saying.
The vandals caused extensive damage, ransacking virtually all units of the High Court, including the office of the state Chief Judge.
The destruction resulted in losses exceeding N1 billion, with stolen office equipment, damaged offices, and burned vehicles, including other vital materials essential to the pursuit of justice.
Governor Yusuf urged Kano’s youth to resist being manipulated by those seeking to incite violence.
He encouraged them to focus on acquiring skills for a better future, stressing that the government remains committed to protecting lives and property in the state.
The governor expressed his condolences to Chief Judge Dije Abdu Aboki and the entire judiciary for the unfortunate incident, urging them to recover what was lost in the court’s proceedings for the benefit of the common man.
Yusuf also commended the people of Kano for their ongoing support and cooperation with the current administration, praying for continued peace, stability, prosperity, and economic development in the state.
