A Kano State High Court has declined a request by the state government seeking the arrest of former Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje over allegations related to the ownership and management of Dala Inland Dry Port Limited.

Ganduje, listed as the first defendant in the suit, was granted temporary relief after the court refused to issue a bench warrant for his failure to appear in court. The government’s application, filed through counsel Ya’u Adamu, cited Section 388 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL) of Kano State, which allows the court to issue arrest warrants against defendants who fail to attend proceedings.

The former governor faces trial alongside three others: his former aide Abubakar Bawuro, his lawyer Adamu Aliyu-Sanda, and ex-Managing Director of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Hassan Bello. They are charged with criminal conspiracy, misappropriation of public funds, criminal breach of trust, abuse of office, and conflict of interest.

Delivering the ruling, Justice Yusuf Ubale said issuing a bench warrant at this stage would be premature due to unresolved legal issues raised by the defense. Ganduje’s lawyers, led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria A.S. Gadanya, argued that the service of court processes on him was improper, challenging the court’s jurisdiction. The court agreed to hear these preliminary objections and adjourned the case to February 23, 2026.

The charges stem from allegations that Ganduje and his co-defendants fraudulently transferred 80% of Dala Inland Dry Port’s shares—including the state government’s 20% equity—to private ownership through a fictitious company, “City Green Enterprise.” The prosecution also alleges the misappropriation of over ₦4.49 billion in public funds, used for infrastructure projects at the dry port that allegedly benefited Ganduje and his family.

Among the most serious allegations is the secret transfer of Kano State’s 20% stake in the facility, which reportedly made Ganduje’s children co-owners, depriving the state of its equity in the strategic logistics project.