Nigeria, Sept. 29 -- Former Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje secretly transferred the state government's 20 per cent stake in the Dala Inland Dry Port Nigeria Limited to private hands and also made his children co-owners of the company before awarding a contract worth more than N4 billion to provide infrastructure for the project, PREMIUM TIMES can report.

The transfer effectively edged Kano State out of the project's ownership and positioned Mr Ganduje's children as directors and shareholders. Shortly after, Mr Ganduje, then governor, awarded a contract for works that were originally the state's responsibility under its equity agreement.

Mr Ganduje, who resigned this year as national chairman of Nigeria's ruling All Progressives C...