Why I was arrested – Ex-Kano anti-graft chair

Muhuyi Magaji

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The immediate past chairman of the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission, Muhuyi Magaji, has disclosed the circumstances surrounding his recent arrest by the police.

Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force arrested Magaji on Friday in his chamber and was moved to Police headquarters in Abuja.

Until the expiration of his tenure, Magaji investigated and prosecuted several criminal cases involving politically exposed personalities, including the former Govenor of Kano State, Abdullahi Ganduje and his family members.

Briefing journalists on Friday, Kano State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Abdulkareem Maude, SAN, queried the arrest and detention of Magaji.

The Attorney General confirmed that Magaji 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 expressed worry that Magaji’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.

He said, “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.”

Speaking in an interview on DCL Hausa on Saturday, Magaji, who is also known as Rimin Gado, confirmed that he was released after spending over 24 hours in police custody.

He linked his arrest to his role as the lead prosecution counsel in the multibillion-naira Dala Inland Dry Port case.

“You know, since leaving office as PCACC Chairman, I returned to active legal practice and became the lead counsel in the Dala Inland Dry Port case.

“When I was arrested, I was escorted to Abuja under heavy police guard, with two armed officers on either side of me and three others in the front seat. That was how I was transported from Kano to Abuja. We travelled through the night and only arrived around 3:00 a.m,” he said.

Magaji said he requested to see the arrest warrant, but the officers refused, stating that it could only be shown in Abuja.

“So, when we arrived, I was served with fresh court charges relating to malicious allegations and defamation. If not in Nigeria, tell me where a suspect standing trial would have his lead prosecution counsel arrested and accused of defamation?” he asked.

He added that the police released him on bail, instructed him to report back in Abuja on Wednesday, and required him to surrender his international passport.

Olugbenga is a fine-grained journalist with over nine years of experience. He loves the smell of a good lead and has a penchant for finding out interesting good reports.

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