N400m drug fraud: ALGON accuses ICPC chairman of order violation

The Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) in Kano has accused the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Musa Aliyu, SAN, of alleged violation of court orders.

In a petition addressed to the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee, the petitioners alleged that operatives of the ICPC invaded the residence of the interim caretaker of Rimin-Gada Local Government Area (LGA) at night, arrested and detained him, in gross violation of a subsisting order of a competent court.

According to the petition signed by Barrister Shamsi Ubale Jibril and made available to The Guardian on Tuesday, the petitioner disclosed that a high court in Kano on August 27, 2024 granted an ex-parte order restraining the ICPC and others from harassing, inviting, arresting, or detaining the applicants, in respect of the alleged multimillion-naira drug supply scandal to LGAs.

The petitioner had applied for a contempt charge against the ICPC for a similar attempt on the caretaker of Karaye Local Government Area, seeking court protection for fundamental rights regarding the alleged diversion of local government funds.

ALGON insisted that attending to investigations from multiple security and anti-graft agencies on the same subject matter amounted to an abuse of legal proceedings and violated standards, asking the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee to investigate the ICPC boss for alleged abuse of office.

“I decided to write the petition against the ICPC Chairman for his unprofessional conduct in suit number K/M1622/24, filed by their clients against the Kano State Public Complaint and Anti-Corruption Commission and six others, including the ICPC as the second respondent.

“A motion ex-parte filed by our clients was heard and granted on August 27, where an interim order restrained respondents, including the ICPC, in whatever guise, from disturbing, harassing, threatening to arrest, and/or detaining the applicants pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.

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“To our greatest shock and dismay, even after the service of the order on the ICPC, headed by Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, the ICPC has refused and neglected to obey the orders of the Kano State High Court by inviting, harassing, and intimidating our clients.

“The ICPC, in defiance of the order of the court, kept writing to our clients and texting them, demanding that they report to their offices. On the 10th of September 2024, ICPC officers attempted to arrest our clients and also harassed and intimidated them.

“Sir, these facts necessitated the issuance of Form 48 on the ICPC, and Form 48 is attached as Appendix 2. Our clients also instructed us to file, and we indeed filed a motion on notice dated 11th September 2024 seeking to prohibit the ICPC from participating in the proceedings until they comply with the order of the Kano State High Court dated 27th August 2024.

“When the matter came up before the court on 12th September 2024, we briefed the court on the prevailing state of affairs and applied for a date to be given for the hearing of our motion on notice, and the Judge graciously opted to transmit the case back to the Chief Judge of Kano for redirection to another Judge.

“At the court session, Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu appeared as counsel for the ICPC and, in open court, opined that a date be given for the contempt proceedings, signaling that he intended to submit to the authority of the court. We were mistaken.

“Despite the above measures, Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu defied the authority of this honorable court (and as well ignored the professional courtesy accorded to him by our humble selves) and directed his men to invade the house of the 35th applicant in the suit, the Chairman of Rimin Gado Local Government, Kano, on 13th September 2024 at night, arrested him, and illegally detained him at their head office in Abuja in connection with the subject matter of the pending case, and in clear violation of the order of the court.

“We urge you to investigate this matter with a view to ensuring that learned Silks admitted to the Inner Bar by your exalted Committee conform to the highest standards of behavior and adherence to the rule of law,” the petition read.