A Kano State High Court has dismissed an application filed by former Kano State Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, challenging the court’s jurisdiction to hear the bribery and misappropriation case against him.
The Kano State Government has charged Ganduje, his wife Hafsat Umar, and several others with an 11-count charge involving bribery, conspiracy, misappropriation, and diversion of public funds amounting to billions of naira.
Others named in the case include Abubakar Bawuro, Umar Abdullahi Umar, Jibrilla Muhammad, Lamash Properties Ltd., Safari Textiles Ltd., and Lasage General Enterprises Ltd.
In her ruling, Justice Amina Adamu-Aliyu dismissed the preliminary objections raised by the defendants, labeling them “incompetent” and affirming that the charges filed on May 13, 2024, were valid and fit for trial. She cited relevant legal precedents to support her decision.
The judge ruled that the trial would proceed in the absence of Ganduje and six other defendants and issued a court summons for the sixth defendant, Lamash Properties Ltd. The case was adjourned to July 30 and 31, 2025, for hearing.
Earlier, Lydia Oluwakemi Oyewo, counsel for Ganduje’s wife and Umar, had filed a preliminary objection on November 18, 2024, asking the court to dismiss all charges and questioning its jurisdiction.
However, lead prosecutor Adeola Adedipe, SAN, filed a counter-response dated October 22, 2024, urging the court to reject the objections, arguing that they lacked merit.
Other defense counsels also filed separate preliminary objections between September and October 2024, all of which were ultimately dismissed by the court.
Justice Adamu-Aliyu’s ruling paves the way for full trial proceedings to begin.
