Why police invited PREMIUM TIMES reporter in Kano

The police on Thursday confirmed that they invited Abubakar Maishanu, a PREMIUM TIMES’ reporter in Kano State, over a report by our newspaper on the Dala Inland Dry Port ownership scandal.

Mr Maishanu was summoned to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) at the command’s headquarters in Bompai through a letter signed by Assistant Commissioner of Police Muhammad Jarma.

Mr Maishanu went to the Bompai police headquarters on Thursday morning, accompanied by his counsel, Muhammad Muhammad, in response to the invitation.

He reported to the Assistant Commissioner of Police (X-Squad), AC Chika, and was later joined by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Abdullahi Kiyawa.

Mr Chika clarified that the invitation was part of an active police inquiry pertaining to an investigative report authored by Mr Maishanu in September last year.

The report alleged shady dealings involving the former Governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Ganduje, in a multi-billion-naira ownership scandal at the Dala Inland Dry Port.

During the meeting, the police provided a printed copy of the full investigative report to Mr Maishanu.

The reporter affirmed his authorship of the piece and provided a brief written statement confirming that the report was published by PREMIUM TIMES on 1 September, last year.

The meeting remained professional and cordial. Mr Chika described PREMIUM TIMES as his favourite media outlet, noting that he frequently visited the site for reliable information.

The Command’s spokesperson, Mr Kiyawa, also commended the Kano State journalist unions for their role in the process.

He specifically lauded Murtala Adewale, Chairperson of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), for intervening the matter with a high level of professionalism.

About the investigative report

Following the report, the Kano State Government is prosecuting Mr Ganduje and other defendants at the State High Court for allegedly conspiring to fraudulently transfer 80 per cent of the shares of Dala Inland Dry Port, including the state’s 20 per cent equity, to private ownership.

The prosecution also alleged that the defendants diverted over ₦4.49 billion in Kano State funds to execute infrastructure projects, including a double-carriageway, electricity, and perimeter fencing at the dry port, for their personal and family benefit.

The defendants also face charges of abuse of office and conflict of interest. The state says they leveraged their official roles to redirect public resources for personal benefit, thereby violating financial and constitutional regulations.

PREMIUM TIMES exposed how Mr Ganduje secretly transferred the state government’s 20 per cent stake in the facility to private hands, making his children co-owners of the company before awarding a contract worth more than N4 billion to provide infrastructure for the project.

The transfer ended Kano State’s shareholding in the project, while Mr Ganduje’s children and aide, Abubakar Bawuro, became directors and shareholders.

The Dala Inland Dry Port Limited

When Dala Inland Dry Port Limited was incorporated on 8 December 2003, its only directors were the founder, Ahmad Rabiu, and his son, Rabiu Ahmad Rabiu.

Two years later, at an extraordinary general meeting on 19 January 2005, the board was expanded with the appointment of four new directors: Abdulaziz Haladu, Anwar Isyaku-Rabiu, Diepreye George, and Abdullahi Kwaru.

Records obtained by this newspaper show that on 5 March 2020, Mr Ganduje’s three children and his longtime associate, Abubakar Bawuro, replaced Mr Rabiu’s son and all other directors elected in 2005 as board members of the company.

Minutes of the company’s Annual General Meeting (AGM), held on 5 March 2020, at its Zaria Road office in Kano, confirmed the appointment of Abdulaziz Abdullahi Umar, Umar Abdullahi Umar, and Muhammad Abdullahi Umar—all children of Mr Ganduje —alongside Mr Bawuro as new directors of Dala Inland Dry Port Limited.

It was also at the meeting that the state government was removed as a co-owner of the dry port, and the Ganduje children were appointed not just as directors but also as shareholders, each holding 5 million shares.

According to its “ordinary resolution,” the meeting was “attended by all the shareholders,” and “it was unanimously resolved” that Abdulaziz Abdullah Umar, Umar Abdullahi Umar, and Muhammad Abdullahi Umar —the three children of Mr Ganduje —be allotted five million shares each, each being 20 per cent of the total 25 million shares of the company.

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Mr Rabiu and Mr Bawuro were also each allotted 20 per cent, creating a new ownership structure of five equal shareholders, each with 20 per cent of the company’s shares.

This structure edged out the Kano State Government from the ownership of the company.

The state government said due process was not followed in the divestment process, accusing Mr Ganduje of using his office to undermine the state.