Court sets date for hearing on arrest of Kano’s suspended anti-corruption chief

On Thursday, the Federal High Court in Kano, presided over by Justice Jane Iyang, set March 28, 2022, to hear the application of Barr Muhuyi Magaji, the embattled suspended Chairman of the Kano State Anti-Corruption Commission.

Magaji is asking the court to prevent the police from arresting or prosecuting him on the forgery charge that has been leveled against him.

On March 1, 2022, the court denied Magaji’s application to prevent the Inspector-General of Police from arresting him due to a lack of jurisdiction.

Justice Jane had previously ruled that the applicant’s alleged violation of fundamental rights was merely an ancillary claim that did not fall under the purview of fundamental rights.

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Furthermore, she upheld that for a court to find a violation of fundamental rights, the applicant’s claim must have infringed on his fundamental rights.

She also claimed that her court lacks supervisory authority over the Kano State House of Assembly, claiming that Magaji should have approached the Kano State High Court rather than the Federal High Court, and that the case should have been dismissed for lack of competence.

When the Court reconvened on Thursday, Magaji’s counsel, Barrister R.O Zakariyya, filed an application requesting that the court order the parties in the suit to maintain the status quo following the court’s March 1, 2022 judgment, pending the hearing and determination of an appeal against the judgment.

Barr Wada Ahmad Wada, Principal State Counsel for the defendants, told the court that he had filed and served claim and counterclaim applications on the Applicant’s counsel.

Justice Iyang adjourned the hearing to March 28, 2022, at the end of the day.