Specifically expressing dissatisfaction over the withdrawal of about 40 police officers attached to the Kano anti-corruption commission, the groups noted that one of the major factors which has stood strong as a challenge to anti-corruption agencies in Nigeria is the undermining of sub-national anti-corruption institutions.
Human and environmental rights groups, Amnesty International, the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre), the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) and 47 others have demanded the immediate reinstatement of police personnel withdrawn from the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission.
The groups made the demand during a press conference held on Thursday in Abuja and led by the Executive Director of CISLAC/Transparency International Nigeria, Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, Senior Fellow at Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), Professor Jibril Ibrahim and the Executive Director of the African Centre for Media & Information Literacy (AFRICMIL), Mr. Chido Onumah.
The groups which also include Femi Falana Chamber; Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP); Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC); Yiaga Africa; Centre Democracy and Development (CDD) and Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) expressed serious concern over the state of the fight against corruption in Nigeria and what they described as malicious attacks on Nigeria’s anti-corruption agencies.
Specifically expressing dissatisfaction over the withdrawal of about 40 police officers attached to the Kano anti-corruption commission, the groups noted that one of the major factors which has stood strong as a challenge to anti-corruption agencies in Nigeria is the undermining of sub-national anti-corruption institutions.
“We are also concerned by the recent withdrawal of Police from the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission.
“This withdrawal of about 40 police officers who were responsible for security and investigative tasks has not only hampered the work of the anti-corruption agency in Kano State but also endangered the Police's obligation to operate with impartiality and independence,” the groups said.
According to the groups, it appears that this move is not unconnected to the attempt to frustrate the ongoing investigations into corruption allegations levelled against the National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and former governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.
“We urge the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, to promptly reinstate the police personnel withdrawn from the Kano State Anti-Corruption Commission, to facilitate the effective execution of the Commission’s duties.
“Nigeria police must avoid actions that may portray it as being submissive to politicians,” the groups stressed.
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