Governor Umar Ganduje has threatened lawsuit after a news website reported that he had been caught receiving at least $5 million in kickbacks from contractors in Kano State.

A statement from Kano information commissioner said Mr Ganduje was a victim of a carefully manipulated video designed by opposition elements to deface his image as a crooked governor rather than a hard-working and compassionate leader.

“We wish to state that there is no iota of truth to these allegations and if indeed there is any such alleged video, it is at best cloned,” Muhammad Garba said in a statement to PREMIUM TIMES Thursday morning.

Mr Garba said the video comes as prominent Nigerians are becoming increasingly susceptible to manufactured video clips being used to cast them in a bad light before the public.

He also alleged that there was an attempt to blackmail the governor which failed, prompting those the commissioner said were opposition elements to push the video out.

PREMIUM TIMES has not seen the video, but the website that first reported it said it existed. Daily Nigerian, an online news platform based in Abuja, reported that Mr Ganduje received up to $5 million in a series of questionable deals with state contractors.

The website said it is in possession of three sets of videos shot on several days, and all showed how Mr Ganduje was receiving bribes from state contractors. One of the videos showed the governor roll nearly $3 million (25 percent) under his dress, Daily Nigerian alleged.

The website said the videos had been authenticated by its internal and independent graphics experts, adding that President Muhammadu Buhari had ordered a thorough investigation after viewing the clips.

The police and the State Security Service did not return PREMIUM TIMES’ requests for comments about their investigation into the video.

But the allegations are now being strongly denied by Mr Ganduje, with his office threatening grave consequences against the publisher.