TheCable

A federal high court in Kano has issued an interim order restraining the Kano Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission (PCACC) and the police from arresting Abdullahi Ganduje, the former governor of the state.

Other parties restrained from taking action against Ganduje are the inspector-general of police (IGP), Kano commissioner of police, the Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the attorney-general of the federation, and the attorney-general of Kano.

On Thursday, the PCACC announced that it had invited Ganduje for questioning next week.

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.”

TheCable reported on Friday that the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano had asked Ganduje to ignore the invitation of the state anti-corruption commission.