Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force have arrested a former Chairman, Kano Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission, Barr. Muhuyi Magaji Rimin-Gado.
Rimin-Gado was arrested on Friday in his chamber by heavily armed police operatives for an alleged “high-profile investigation” being handled. He had since been moved to Police headquarters, The Guardian was told.
Until the expiration of his tenure, Rimin-Gado investigated and prosecuted several criminal cases involving politically exposed personalities, including the immediate past governor, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and his family members.
It was not clear the reason why Rimin-Gado was arrested on Friday and whisked away; the command spokesperson, Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, could not be reached for inquiry at the time of filing the report.
Meanwhile, the Kano State Government has raised alarm over an alleged plot by “certain political elements operating from outside the state” to destabilise public peace and stability in Kano.
Briefing journalists on Friday, Kano State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Abdulkareem Maude SAN, queried the arrest and detention of the former Chairman of the Public Complaint and Anti-Corruption Commission, Barr. Rimin-Gado.
The Attorney General confirmed that Rimin-Gado was whisked away by about 40 heavily armed operatives of the Nigeria Police Force from his office in Kano and has since been moved to Force headquarters, Abuja.
The Senior Advocate, worried that Rimin-Gado’s arrest raised constitutional and security concerns, revealed the operatives whisked the former Anti-graft boss away and orchestrated the assignment without a warrant or due legal evidence.
According to the AG, the arrest may not be far-fetched due to several high-profile criminal investigations and ongoing prosecutions involving some politically exposed persons from Kano State.
The Justice Commissioner believed that Rimin-Gado is seen to know too much and possess critical, firsthand, and well-documented evidence against some politically exposed personalities from Kano.
“The Kano State Government is therefore deeply worried that certain political elements operating from outside the State may be deliberately attempting to exploit federal institutions to destabilise Kano State, undermine its peace, and disrupt the prevailing atmosphere of harmony and good governance.
“The government believed the arrest of the former PCACC Chairman is linked to several high-profile criminal investigations and ongoing prosecutions involving some politically exposed persons from Kano State, in respect of which Mr Muhuyi Magaji Rimin Gado is believed to possess critical, firsthand, and well-documented evidence.
“The timing and manner of his arrest, therefore, raise grave fears that the action is calculated to obstruct, destabilise, or compromise the integrity of those sensitive investigations and prosecutions, thereby posing a serious threat to the administration of criminal justice.
“The deployment of such massive security forces for a civilian arrest, rather than to flashpoints of violent criminality within the State, raises legitimate concerns about misplaced priorities, abuse of power, and the politicisation of security operations.
“It must be emphasised that Kano State remains peaceful, stable, and governed by the rule of law. Any action, from whatever quarter, that is capable of downgrading this peace, provoking public disorder, or casting institutional law enforcement in a political light must be firmly rejected,” AG warned.
According to Maude SAN, Kano State Government is demanding strict compliance with constitutional provisions, due process, and human rights standards in all actions concerning Mr Gado.
He said the government is calling on the Nigeria Police Force to immediately explain the legal basis for the arrest and the transfer of Rimin-Gado to Abuja, and threatened legal action against the police’s failure to release the Anti-corruption crusader.
