Court restrains police from arresting Kano anti-graft chairman

A high court in Kano has restrained Kayode Egbetokun, inspector-general of police (IGP), from arresting Muhuyi Rimingado, chairman of the Kano state Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission (PCACC).

Ruling on an ex parte application on Monday, Sunusi Ado Ma’aji, the presiding judge, granted an interim order restraining the police from inviting, arresting, or harassing Rimingado, pending the hearing of the substantive suit against his arrest last week.

“Order of interim injunction is hereby granted restraining the defendants/respondents, either by themselves, their agents, officers, privies, representatives, and assigns, from further inviting, arresting, detaining, or harassing the officers of the 2nd plaintiffs/applicants or doing such acts that would be capable of interfering with the 2nd and 3rd plaintiffs/applicants right generally about this suit compelling him to attend to their office at Abuja or at any other location in the country on the 27th of January 2025 or any other further subsequent dates pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice,” the judge ruled.

“Order of interim injunction is hereby granted restraining the defendants/respondents from taking any further steps in connection with the matter and maintain status quo ante bellum or staying all actions pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.”

In the suit marked K/M212/2025, the Kano state attorney-general, the state PCACC, and Rimingado are the plaintiffs.

The Nigeria police; IGP, assistant IGP, zone 1 Kano; the state commissioner of police; and Bala Muhammad Inuwa, a former managing director of the Kano Agricultural Supply Company Limited (KASCO), are the first to fifth defendants/respondents.

BACKGROUND

Rimingado was arrested by the police in Kano on Friday, but he was later granted bail on self-recognition.

He was asked to appear at the force headquarters in Abuja on Monday.

The reasons behind Rimingado’s arrest remained unclear, though reports suggested it may be connected to an ongoing trial of Inuwa.

Earlier in the month, Inuwa had accused Kano PCACC of violating an existing court order by confiscating and taking over his properties.

He said the properties, which were stocked with various brands of trailers, fertilizer grinding machines, and other agricultural implements, were taken over by the anti-graft commission in violation of the court order.