A federal high court in Kano has issued an interim injunction prohibiting the police and the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission (PCACC) from detaining Abdullahi Ganduje over suspected $1 bribe tapes.
Don’t forget that the agency on Thursday sent an invitation to the former governor, Ganduje, to come before it the following week in order to have the chance to defend himself in the continuing investigation.
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Department of State Services (DSS), the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), the Attorney-General of the Federation, and the Attorney-General of Kano are additional parties barred from pursuing action against Ganduje.
In 2018, Daily Nigerian, an online newspaper, published a video of Ganduje allegedly receiving bundles of dollars from contractors, which he stuffed into his “babanriga”, a traditional outfit.
The newspaper said the former governor requested $5 million as a bribe from the contractors who recorded the video.
In the interim order issued on Friday, A.M Liman, the judge, said the directive would remain in effect pending the hearing and determination of the substantive motion.
Hemba, a counsel to Ganduje, had filed the suit.
The order reads:
“Restraining the respondents, whether by themselves or acting through their officers, men, operatives, agents, or any persons or group of persons howsoever described, from harassing, intimidating, detaining the applicant or his children, or any member of his family, or any appointee who served under the administration of the applicant, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive originating motion.
“An order restraining the respondents, whether by themselves or acting through their officers, men, operatives, agents, privies, or any persons or group of persons howsoever described, from harassing, arresting, inviting, or detaining the applicant or his children, or any member of his family, or any appointee who served under his administration, or forcefully taking over properties of his children or any member of his family, or any appointee who served under his administration, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive originating motion.”