Muhuyi Magaji Rimingado, the fearless chairman of Kano state’s public complaints and anti-corruption commission, has shattered doubts surrounding the scandalous video of ex-governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje allegedly accepting bribes in dollars. In a stunning revelation, Rimingado confirmed that the incriminating footage was indeed authentic and not a clever manipulation.
With unyielding determination to fight corruption, Rimingado addressed the public, stating, “I am passionate about exposing corruption, and those who know me can vouch for it. People have incessantly pressured me to investigate the dollar videos, and I assure you we are already on the case. Forensic analysis has unequivocally proven that the videos were not doctored.”
Rimingado’s revelation came during a gripping one-day public dialogue on the “Anti-Corruption Crusade in Kano,” where he highlighted the damaging impact the scandalous video had on the reputation of the state, both within and beyond Nigeria’s borders.
Back in 2018, the online newspaper Daily Nigerian set off a media firestorm when it published a series of videos exposing Ganduje allegedly pocketing kickbacks in bundles of dollar notes, cunningly concealed within the folds of his traditional “babanriga” attire, received from public contractors in Kano.
The viral video swiftly flooded social media platforms, triggering widespread public condemnation and demands for a thorough investigation into the matter. Nigerians, particularly critics of the former governor, derisively dubbed him ‘Gandollar’ in a tongue-in-cheek play on his last name and the currency he was accused of accepting.
At the time, despite enjoying constitutional immunity from criminal prosecution, Mr. Ganduje vehemently dismissed the video as doctored, but his claims fell on deaf ears as Nigerians continued to mock him relentlessly.
Rimingado shed light on his commission’s initial attempts to investigate the video in 2018, but their efforts were thwarted by Ganduje’s immunity as the sitting governor. Undeterred, Rimingado pledged to dig deeper, stressing, “The dollar videos are tarnishing Kano’s reputation, not only in Nigeria but around the world. I am resolute in my mission to investigate thoroughly, ensuring the truth prevails and restoring Kano’s once pristine reputation.”
Ever since the release of the damning footage, pressure has mounted on the anti-graft commission to prove or disprove the former governor’s innocence in the corruption allegations, intensifying the anticipation surrounding the upcoming probe.
