The Kano Division of the Federal High Court has stopped the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-corruption Commission from investigating the alleged missing N100 billion from the state’s local government accounts.

The court, presided over by Justice S.A. Amobeda, on Tuesday also stopped the commission and its agents from inviting, investigating, arresting, and intimidating local government chairpersons in Kano, pending the determination of the applicants’ motion on notice.

The court gave the restraining order upon an ex parte application by counsel to the applicants, Morgan C. Omereonye Esq.

The commission on Tuesday said it had commenced an investigation into the alleged misappropriation of the funds by ex-Governor Abdullahi Ganduje’s government.

The applicants are chairpersons of Dawakin Tofa, Ungogo, Dambatta, Kunchi, Rimin Gado, Karaye, Bichi, Tsanyawa, Gwarzo, Tarauni, Dala, Tudun Wada, Kano Municipal and Shanono LGAs.

The respondents in the suit are the commission, and its chairman, Muhuyi Rimin-Gado.

The court granted an interim injunction “restraining the respondents jointly and severally, personally or through their agents, servants, privies and/or assigns, from arresting whomever and however from inviting, investigating, arresting, detaining, harassing and/or intimidating the applicants in respect of local governments accounts, their personal accounts, vouchers and cash books of local governments herein, pending the hearing and determination of the applicants’ motion on notice.”

The court also stopped the respondents from “taking any further steps in connection with, or relating to, or arising from the invitation by the respondents against the applicants, as communicated in the first respondent’s letters, dated July 7 and 10, 2023, respectively, pending the determination of the applicants’ motion on notice.”

The court also granted an accelerated hearing of the applicants’ motion on notice and directed the respondents to maintain the status quo regarding the subject matter of the suit, pending the hearing and determination of the notice.

The case was adjourned until July 20 for a hearing of the substantive motion. 

(NAN)