The Kano State government has revealed that vital documents related to the corruption trial of former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje were stolen during the recent invasion of the State High Court by protesters.
The incident occurred amidst a nationwide protest that escalated into acts of vandalism and looting, targeting public properties, including the court.
The Kano government had previously charged Ganduje, his wife Hafsat, their son Umar Abdullahi, and five others with eight counts of misappropriation and diversion of funds during Ganduje’s eight-year tenure as governor. The court handling these cases was among the facilities damaged by hoodlums during the #EndBadGovernance protest.
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On Wednesday, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf visited the vandalized court premises to assess the extent of the damage. He was 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.
In a statement released by the governor’s spokesperson, Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, Governor Yusuf condemned the vandalism, describing it as a deliberate act orchestrated by enemies of the state to sabotage the ongoing corruption trials of Ganduje and his associates.
“It is very unfortunate that enemies of Kano State hired undesirable elements to vandalize one of the historic public buildings with the intent of disrupting the corruption trials of Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, his family, and aides,” Tofa stated.
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The statement further detailed the extensive damage caused by the miscreants, including the destruction of nearly all units of the High Court, the theft of office equipment, and the burning of cars and other critical materials. The total loss is estimated to exceed N1 billion.
Governor Yusuf called on the youth of Kano to avoid being manipulated by detractors into engaging in violence, urging them instead to focus on skill acquisition for a better future. He reassured the public that the government remains committed to securing the lives and property of the people of Kano.
The governor also expressed his condolences to the Chief Judge, Dije Abdu Aboki, and the entire judiciary for the unfortunate incident, encouraging them to recover from the losses to ensure justice is served.
He thanked the people of Kano for their continued support of his administration and prayed for sustained peace, stability, prosperity, and economic development in the state.