Court bars IGP from arresting Kano anti-corruption Chief Magaji
A Kano High Court, presided over by Justice Sunusi Ado Ma’aji, has issued an interim order preventing the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the Police Authority from inviting, arresting, or harassing the Chairman of the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission, Muhuyi Magaji Rimingado.
The plaintiffs in the case include the Kano State Attorney General, the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission, and Muhuyi Magaji Rimingado.
The defendants are the Nigerian Police Force, the IGP, the Assistant Inspector General (AIG) of Zone One, the Kano State Commissioner of Police, ASP Ahmed Bello, and Bala Muhammad Inuwa.
The order was granted on Monday. It prohibits the defendants or their agents from inviting, arresting, detaining, or harassing Rimingado or officers of the Commission, and prevents actions that could interfere with their rights, particularly regarding a case compelling Rimingado to attend meetings in Abuja or other locations across the country. The order will remain in effect until the hearing and determination of the motion, scheduled for February 10, 2025.
It was reported that on January 24, 2025, a team of operatives from the IGP’s Monitoring Team arrived in Kano with the intention of arresting and transferring Rimingado to Abuja.
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According to a reliable source within the Commission, ASP Ahmed M. Bello delivered a letter of invitation to Rimingado at around 5:30 pm, demanding that he follow him immediately to Zone One along BUK Road.
Rimingado’s legal team accused the police of denying them access to their client for approximately three hours. He was later interrogated about a case involving an ongoing investigation by the Commission, concerning an alleged diversion of N4 billion from KASCO, as detailed in suit No. K/154c/2023.
Rimingado was subsequently released on bail and instructed to report to the IGP’s office in Abuja on January 27, 2025, for further questioning. In response, the Kano State government, through its Attorney General, filed an ex parte application with the state high court, seeking to prevent further police actions, including invitations, arrests, and harassment of Rimingado and the Commission’s officers.
The court granted the reliefs requested by the plaintiffs, also directing Red Star Express Plc., Courier Services, to serve the IGP with the originating processes and other court documents at the Nigeria Police Force Headquarters, Louis Edet House, Area 11, outside the court’s jurisdiction.
Justice Ma’aji further issued an interim injunction, ordering all parties to maintain the status quo pending the outcome of the February 10 hearing.
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