Gov Ganduje’s wife arrested over fraud scandal by EFCC

Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, and his wife Hafsat Ganduje

Hafsat Ganduje, wife of Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, has been arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over a bribery and land fraud case reported by her son.

This comes after she had ignored an invitation by the EFCC over alleged involvement in a land fraud scandal.

Mrs Ganduje had earlier been invited to report to the EFCC office in Abuja on September 13. But she did not appear and the EFCC then threatened to arrest her. Sources close to her later said she travelled to the UK at the time to attend the graduation ceremony of her son.

Investigators are questioning Mrs Ganduje over allegations relating to land fraud in a petition by her son, Abdualzeez Ganduje.

A person privy to the arrest who spoke to PREMIUM TIMES on condition of anonymity, said Ganduje’s wife “was arrested this (Monday) evening.”

Hafsat Ganduje had flown to London to attend the graduation of one of her sons.

This was after she ignored an invitation by the EFCC over alleged involvement in the fraud.

She was invited by the anti-graft agency recently over a petition by her eldest son, Abdulazeez.

Abdulazeez had dragged his mum to the EFCC, sources familiar with the matter said, suggesting a pattern of corruptly using family access to power for private enrichment.

A source said the young man had reported to the anti-graft agency that he was approached by a property developer to help facilitate the acquisition of some plots of land in Kano with some hundreds of thousands of US dollars and at least N35 million as “facilitation commission.”

It was further learnt that Abdulazeez said he paid the sum in dollars to his mother, Hafsat.

“But three months later, (the property developer) discovered that the plots of land he wanted and had paid the first family for had been allocated to other buyers and he then requested to be refunded,” the source was quoted as saying.

Meanwhile, Ganduje’s media aide, Abubakar Ibrahim, despite the EFCC invitation, announced the London trip.

“Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje OFR, The First Lady, Prof. Hafsat Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and Family attended the Graduation of the Youngest Son to the Family, Muhammad Abdullahi Umar Ganduje who graduated from the Regent’s University London as BA. (Hons). Global Management (Enterprise & Innovation). Today, Tuesday. 14/9/2021,” the official had said.