8 Things you need to know about viral video of Governor Ganduje allegedly hiding bribe in his babanriga

Here are 8 things you need to know about the viral video in which Governor Ganduje of Kano was allegedly seen receiving bribe.

There is a viral video of Kano Governor Abdullahi Ganduje allegedly receiving bribe from contractors.

It is important to state from the outset that the video is unverified and there are claims from Kano government quarters that it is doctored and a clone.

However, here’s what we know so far about the entire saga and the video….

1. The video was recorded in 2017 by the Daily Nigerian—an online news platform.

The Daily Nigerian says what has just been released is the first of 15 clips in which Governor Ganduje is receiving kickbacks from contractors and stashing them in his Babanriga (a traditional northern outfit) and a brown envelope.

2. From the video, the governor appeared to have received $230,000.

All of the cash was hastily stashed in his babanriga. The Daily Nigerian says the $230,000 was part of a series of cash advancement to the governor in a total bribery deal of $5 million.

3. The Daily Nigerian says Ganduje has a knack for extracting kickbacks from contractors and the videos became necessary as a first step to kicking him off that habit. The news platform adds that contractors who spoke on condition of anonymity said “the governor personally receives from 15 to 25 percent kickbacks for every project executed in the state”.

4. Daily Nigerian adds that in another video in its possession, Governor Ganduje can be seen collecting nearly 3 million dollars, being 25 percent kickbacks for selling market stalls.

 

5. Even though the videos now in circulation arrived without audios, Premium Times says this was done to protect the identities of the contractors who wore secret cameras to the meeting with Ganduje.

Premium Times and Daily Nigerian graphic artists have analyzed the videos and have said that there are genuine.

6. Premium Times transcript of the audio of one of the clips reads as follows: “I think you should collect this money before anyone walks in,” one of the contractors could be heard telling the governor. “I think you should put it on your body to conceal it with your babanriga.”

A brief laughter then erupted amongst them. The video was reportedly shot in one of the living rooms at the governor’s official residence in Kano, the state capital.

“MD will soon be back from Istanbul on Friday evening to give us the other allocations,” the contractor added after telling the governor he had concealed a total of $230,000 in his babanriga for the day’s transaction.

7. The Kano state government released a statement late Sunday to say the videos were cloned. The government also said it will be suing Daily Nigerian for all it’s worth.

The statement reads in part: “Kano state government has decided to file a criminal case against an online publication Daily Nigerian and its publisher on defamation of character after it released a clone and doctored video footage mischievously portraying Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje involved in an inappropriate conduct.

 

"The Office of the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice is challenging the implausible and eccentric posting of the cloned video that went viral in a court of law considering the gravity of the caricature, which indicates the extent to which mischievous elements can go to discredit public figures by wielding non-existent scandals against them.

"A mere observation of the cloned video clearly shows that the video is doctored and disjointed with no material facts or evidence to prove the allegations, other than a callous attempt to tarnish the hard earned image of the office and the person of the Governor”.

8. Jafaar Jafaar, publisher of Daily Nigerian and author of the story, says he has taken his family and himself into hiding because his life is now in danger.

 “He has decided to take cover with his family following relentless threats to their safety”, Premium Times writes.

from pulse.ng - Nigeria's entertainment & lifestyle platform online