In a move decried as politically motivated intimidation, Nigerian police arrested Muhuyi Magaji, the lead prosecutor in a high-stakes corruption case against former Kano State Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and his family, on Friday. Magaji, the former chairman of the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission (PCACC), was detained at his law office in Kano’s bustling Zaria Road area by a heavily armed team from the Force Headquarters in Abuja.
A colleague, Auwalu Ibrahim, described the arrest as executed in a “Gestapo manner,” with officers arriving in a truck and whisking Magaji away without immediate explanation. Kano State police spokesperson Abdullahi Kiyawa confirmed he had not yet been briefed on the incident, fueling speculation of federal interference in the state-led probe.
The arrest comes as tension escalates in the multibillion-naira scandal over the Dala Inland Dry Port, a key infrastructure project in Kano. Premium Times investigations revealed that during Ganduje’s tenure (2015–2023), the state government’s 20% stake in the port was covertly transferred to private entities, including Ganduje’s three children Abdulaziz Abdullahi Umar, Umar Abdullahi Umar, and Muhammad Abdullahi Umar and his aide, Abubakar Bawuro. This maneuver allegedly ousted the state from ownership while awarding over ₦4.49 billion in contracts for port infrastructure like roads, electricity, and fencing funds critics say were diverted for personal gain.
Incorporated in 2003 with Kano State as a shareholder, the Dala Inland Dry Port’s board was overhauled in a March 5, 2020, annual general meeting (AGM) at its Zaria Road office. Minutes from the meeting, attended by “all shareholders,” show the Ganduje children and Bawuro replacing existing directors, each receiving 5 million shares (20% stake). Founder Ahmad Rabiu and Bawuro also held 20% each, diluting public ownership entirely. The state alleges no due process was followed, accusing Ganduje of abusing his office to orchestrate the “fraudulent” transfer via the fictitious “City Green Enterprise.”
Kano State filed a ten-count indictment in the state high court against Ganduje, his children, Bawuro, family lawyer Adamu Aliyu-Sanda, and former Nigerian Shippers Council Executive Secretary Hassan Bello. Charges include criminal conspiracy, misappropriation of public funds, breach of trust, abuse of office, and conflict of interest. Prosecutors claim the defendants manipulated officials to approve illicit transactions, violating financial and constitutional laws.
Ganduje and co-defendants are slated to appear in court on December 18. The state’s case hinges on witnesses, including coerced government officials, and documents exposing the share dilution.
Rights groups and opposition voices condemned Magaji’s arrest as an attempt to derail the prosecution, especially given his PCACC role in initiating the charges. The incident echoes ongoing federal-state frictions under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, with Kano’s NNPP-led government accusing Abuja of shielding Ganduje, now APC National Chairman.