Ganduje’s Probe: IGP Asked to Investigate Police Officers Attached to Kano Anti-Corruption Agency

• The Transparency Watch Initiative has urged IGP Kayode Egbetokun to investigate the police officers withdrawn from Kano’s anti-corruption agency
• Dr Kolawole Anthony, the group’s president, praised the IGP’s decision while criticising the Kano governor’s alleged misuse of state resources for political targeting
• Anthony said the Kano state judiciary lacks the locus standing to prosecute the APC national chairman, Abdullah Ganduje

TheTalk.NG journalist Nurudeen Lawal has 8 years of experience covering political campaigns and elections

FCT, Abuja – Transparency Watch Initiative, a coalition of civil society groups, has called on the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, to investigate the police officers attached to the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission.

TheTalk.NG reports that the IGP Egbetokun allegedly withdrew about 40 policemen rendering security and investigation support to the Kano state’s anti-corruption agency.

A coalition of civil society groups hailed IGP Egbetokun for withdrawing the police attached to the Kano anti-corruption agency.
Photo credit: Abdullahi Umar GandujeSource: Facebook

This comes amid the anti-corruption agency’s investigation of corruption allegations against the All Progressives Congress (APC) national chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje.

Coalition lauds IGP Egbetokun

Speaking on the development at a press briefing on Sunday, April 28, in Abuja, Dr Kolawole Anthony, the president of the coalition, lauded IGP Egbetokun for withdrawing the policemen.

Anthony praised the move as timely and necessary.

According to him, Kano’s anti-graft commission has been reduced to a tool to target political enemies in the state.

Speaking further, Anthony said Kano state is a bad example of how governors may misuse the proposed state police in Nigeria if created.

Kano governor Yusuf accused of wasting taxpayers’ money

Anthony also criticised Governor Abba Yusuf’s administration in Kano state for allegedly misusing state resources to target political opponents instead of focusing on governance.

He called on the governor to cease using taxpayers’ money to probe political rivals like Ganduje, the current APC national chairman.

The coalition’s president also claimed that the Kano state judiciary lacks the locus standing to prosecute Ganduje, as ruled by a court of law.

He said if Governor Yusuf truly wants accountability for the Kano people as he claimed, he should furnish the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) with whatever information he has.

“The resources the Governor is wasting on his pointless fights against political enemies can execute meaningful projects that would better the lives of the masses,” Anthony said.

“There’s a judicial pronouncement on it that the state cannot prosecute Ganduje. It’s the responsibility of the Federal High Court and that falls within the purview of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.”

Meanwhile, Anthony said the coalition also agreed with the IGP’s recent statement that Nigeria is not yet ready for state police.

Gov Yusuf accused of using Ganduje’s probe to divert attention

In another report, a group known as Northern Patriots alleged Governor Yusuf is using Ganduje’s probe to divert attention from his poor performance in the state.

The group said the Kano state governor chose to witch-hunt his predecessor while the state slipped into penury.

According to the Patriots, Governor Yusuf has not achieved much since he took office eleven months ago as he has neglected his primary duty of providing good governance to the people of Kano.

Source: TheTalk.NG