CCT suspends Muhuyi Magaji as Kano antigraft boss

The Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) on Thursday suspended Muhuyi Magaji Rimin Gado as Chairman of the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission.

The anti-graft agency boss was arraigned on Thursday over alleged breach of the code of conduct for public officers, conflict of interest, abuse of office, false asset declaration, bribery and accepting gifts, among others.

The Tribunal granted the Complainant’s application directing the defendant to step aside as the Chairman of the Public Complaint and Anti-Corruption Commission of Kano state over the allegation of contravening the provisions of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act CAP C15 LFN 2004 pending the hearing and determination of the case against the Defendant/Respondent that is pending before this Tribunal.

Read Also:ICPC arraigns civil servant for signing off incomplete project

It granted an order directing the Executive Governor of Kano state and the Secretary to the Government of Kano state to take all necessary steps to appoint the most appropriate officer to take over as Acting Chairman of the Public Complaint and Anti-Corruption Commission pending the hearing and determination of the case against the Defendant/Respondent that is pending before this Tribunal

Although, a source at the Kano State Government told SOLACEBASE that the government will be appealing the ruling as there are already court orders restraining the arraignment, and processes of the Code of Conduct Bureau, the EFCC and others.

Read Also:Tax evasion: EFCC sets to arraign Binance executive in court 

It could be recalled that in August 2023, the Kano State government had dragged the federal government before the state High Court over what it described as harassment and intimidation of the state Anti-corruption Commission (PCACC) by three federal agencies.

This was sequel to an invitation sent to the PCACC and its officials by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) and Code of Conduct Bureau, respectively, to answer questions over the commission’s administration from 2011 to date.

In an exparte order, the court, presided by Justice Farouk Adamu, ordered the federal agencies and their agents to stop questioning or investigating officials of the PCACC.

The court also ordered the agencies to stop meddling into the matters of the anti-graft agency.

The Order with suit no K/M1128/2023, further advised all the parties involved in the case to maintain status quo.

The case was instituted by the Attorney General of Kano State, Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-corruption Commission, and Muhuyi Rimingado (as first, second and third plaintiffs) against the EFCC, Code of Conduct Bureau, and ICPC) as first, second and third defendants.

The court also declared that: “By virtue of the Supreme Court decision in Nwobike vs FRN, the powers of the EFCC and other respondents to investigate alleged financial crimes is not at large and does not transcend all boundaries.

“The EFCC, ICPC and Code of Conduct Bureau cannot arbitrarily meddle or interlope into the affairs of the office of the Attorney-General or any other agency, department or parastatal under his supervision without recourse to the Hon. Attorney-General as the head of the department or chief law officer of the state.

“The EFCC or any of the respondents are not empowered by their enabling laws to investigate financial crimes allegedly committed in respect of the finances, administrative structure and properties of state governments based on faceless, vague and nebulous complaints by meddlesome interlopers.”