A Federal High Court in Kano has issued an order restraining the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission (PCACC), the police, the State Security Service (SSS), and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) from arresting former governor Abdullahi Ganduje, his family members, and his government appointees. The order comes in response to an invitation from the PCACC for Mr. Ganduje to answer questions regarding the “dollar videos” published by DAILY NIGERIAN in October 2018. These videos purportedly showed Mr. Ganduje receiving and pocketing bundles of dollars as alleged bribes.
Chairman of the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission, Muhuyi Rimingado, has stated that forensic analysis has verified the authenticity of the “dollar videos.” However, in response to a fundamental enforcement of rights to fair hearing filed by Mr. Ganduje, Justice A. Liman granted an ex-parte order on Friday. This order restrains the anti-corruption agency and other entities from arresting Mr. Ganduje until the hearing of the motion takes place.
The order states that the respondents are restrained from harassing, intimidating, inviting, threatening to arrest, arresting, detaining, or forcefully taking over the properties of the applicant, his children, family members, or any appointee who served under his administration. The order will remain in effect until the hearing of the motion for the enforcement of Fundamental Rights, scheduled for July 14, 2023. The respondents will be served with the motion within 36 hours from the issuance of the order.