Kano Anti-Graft Commission Probes Alleged Diversion of N4bn Dala Dry Port Shares Linked to Ganduje Administration

The Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission (PCACC) has launched a full-scale investigation into the alleged diversion of more than ₦4 billion in state funds connected to the Dala Inland Dry Port project, said to have occurred during the administration of former Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.

Confirming the development on Sunday, the Chairman of the Commission, Mr. Saidu Yahya, disclosed that the probe was initiated following a series of petitions from concerned citizens and civil society groups demanding accountability over the state’s investment in the multi-billion-naira dry port project.

According to Yahya, preliminary findings indicate that contracts valued at several billions of naira were awarded for the development of infrastructure at the Dala Inland Dry Port shortly after the alleged transfer of the state government’s 20 percent equity share in the project to individuals said to be linked to the former governor’s family in 2020.

“We have received multiple petitions alleging that public funds meant for the Dala Inland Dry Port project were diverted through questionable transactions.

The Commission has commenced an extensive investigation to determine the accuracy of these claims and ensure that anyone found culpable is held accountable,” Yahya stated.

He added that the Commission had already invited several key officials from the former administration and requested documents from relevant ministries, departments, and agencies connected to the project, including the Ministry of Commerce, the Kano State Investment Promotion Agency, and the Dala Inland Dry Port Limited.

Yahya assured that the investigation would be thorough, transparent, and guided by due process, stressing that the PCACC remains committed to ensuring that public resources are managed in the best interest of the people of Kano State.

“Our mandate is clear to ensure transparency and accountability in public affairs. No individual or institution will be shielded from investigation.

This is about protecting the collective wealth of Kano people,” he said.

The Dala Inland Dry Port project, located in Zawaciki, Kano, was conceived as a strategic transport and trade hub aimed at boosting export-import activities in Northern Nigeria by reducing congestion at seaports and facilitating inland cargo clearance.

The state government had, under the Ganduje administration, reportedly acquired a 20 percent equity stake in the project as part of its effort to promote industrial and commercial development.

However, recent petitions allege that the state’s shares were irregularly transferred to private individuals, including members of the former governor’s family, effectively removing the state’s ownership stake without due approval or compensation to the government.

Civil society organizations and opposition figures in Kano have welcomed the investigation, describing it as a test of the anti-corruption agency’s independence under the administration of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf.

A statement by one of the petitioners, the Kano Civil Accountability Forum (KCAF), urged the Commission to pursue the matter “without fear or favour,” noting that the Dala Dry Port was one of the state’s most significant economic assets with long-term implications for regional trade.

“The people of Kano deserve to know what happened to their investment in the Dala project. If public funds or assets were diverted, they must be recovered and returned to the state,” the group said.

As of the time of filing this report, former Governor Ganduje has not publicly responded to the allegations. Attempts to reach his media aide were unsuccessful.

The PCACC chairman, meanwhile, reaffirmed that the Commission will make its findings public once investigations are concluded.

“This is not a witch-hunt; it is about accountability. The people of Kano have a right to know how their money was spent,” Yahya emphasized.

The probe into the Dala Inland Dry Port investment adds to a growing list of corruption-related investigations targeting officials of the immediate past administration, as Governor Abba Yusuf continues efforts to recover allegedly misappropriated state assets and funds.