Former Kano Governor Abdullahi Ganduje is under fire after revelations that his children secretly took over the state’s stake in the multi-billion naira Dala Inland Dry Port before awarding contracts worth billions of naira to cronies.
Documents sighted by Premium Times show Ganduje’s children– Abdulaziz, Umar, and Muhammad– alongside his ally Abubakar Bawuro, became directors and shareholders of the project, effectively edging out the Kano State Government from its 20 per cent ownership.
The deal, insiders say, was executed shortly before Ganduje’s administration pumped over N4 billion of taxpayers’ money into roads, electricity, and fencing at the dry port– a responsibility that was originally tied to Kano’s equity in the venture.
The Dala Inland Dry Port, first conceived in 2003, was meant to transform trade in northern Nigeria.
By 2006, Kano held a 20 per cent stake. But when development stalled, pressure mounted. In 2019, with the project on the brink of collapse, the Ganduje family swooped in.
Records reveal that in 2020, each of Ganduje’s children and Mr Bawuro were allocated five million shares apiece, erasing the state’s position. By 2022, the children had transferred their shares to Bawuro, leaving him with 80 per cent control, while original developer Ahmad Rabiu held 20 per cent.
Legal experts say the transfer violated due process. “The necessary steps include approval by the State Executive Council and, in some cases, the State House of Assembly. Shares must also be offered publicly in line with SEC rules,” Kano lawyer Ibrahim Idris said.
The administration of Governor Abba Yusuf has vowed to fight back. “At no time did the state indicate interest in divesting its shares,” Bashir Uba of the Ministry of Commerce said, adding that investigations are underway.
Still, the port was inaugurated by President Muhammadu Buhari in January 2023 and remains in operation — but without Kano as a beneficiary.
As the scandal deepens, Ganduje, his children, and Bawuro have all refused to comment.
