The long-running dispute over the ownership and management of the multi-billion-naira Dala Inland Dry Port has taken a dramatic turn after Ahmad Rabiu, a former Managing Director of the facility and key witness in an ongoing criminal trial, was arrested while attempting to travel out of Kano.
Rabiu, who also served as Kano State Commissioner for Commerce, was reportedly intercepted by operatives of the Kano State Police Command at Malam Aminu Kano International Airport as he prepared to board an Air Peace flight to Abuja.
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An aide to Rabiu, Hanif Umar, confirmed the development, stating that plainclothes officers stopped him at the airport and cancelled his flight. According to Umar, Rabiu was travelling alongside Aminu Dabo, a former Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and a notable political figure in the state.
The arrest has added fresh tension to the ongoing criminal proceedings involving former Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje and several others over the controversial transfer of ownership interests in the Dala Inland Dry Port.
The Dala Inland Dry Port project was initiated to boost trade in northern Nigeria by providing an inland cargo hub linked to seaports. Kano State Government held equity in the project as part of efforts to drive industrial and commercial development in the region.
However, controversy later emerged over the ownership structure of Dala Inland Dry Port Limited, with allegations that public interests in the project were unlawfully transferred to private hands.
The Kano State Government subsequently instituted a criminal case, accusing former Governor Ganduje and other defendants of conspiracy, misappropriation of public assets, breach of trust and conflict of interest.
Prosecutors allege that up to 80 percent ownership of the port facility — including Kano State’s 20 percent equity — was fraudulently transferred to a private firm operating under the name City Green Enterprise.
The state also claims that more than N4.49 billion in public funds meant for infrastructure such as roads, electricity supply and perimeter fencing at the port were diverted for private benefit.
The case is currently before the Kano State High Court, where Ganduje and other defendants, including his aide Abubakar Bawuro, lawyer Adamu Aliyu-Sanda, and former Nigerian Shippers’ Council boss Hassan Bello, are contesting the charges.
At the last sitting on January 14, Ganduje challenged the legality of court documents served on him, arguing through his counsel that the substituted service ordered by the court was invalid. Defence lawyers also opposed efforts by prosecutors to secure an arrest warrant after Ganduje failed to appear in court.
Justice Yusuf Ubale adjourned the matter to February 23 to hear pending preliminary objections. Rabiu’s arrest has sparked fresh debate, as he had earlier raised concerns about his safety after agreeing to testify in the case.
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Kano State prosecutor Muhuyi Magaji suggested the incident could undermine the prosecution, noting that several witnesses are expected to testify about how officials were allegedly pressured into signing documents that facilitated the disputed asset transfer.
Authorities have yet to issue a detailed official explanation regarding the circumstances surrounding Rabiu’s arrest.
With court proceedings set to resume next month, the development is expected to intensify public interest in one of Kano’s most significant public asset disputes in recent years.
