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From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
In a unified stance against corruption, prominent civil society organizations such as the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre), Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), and Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED) have vehemently criticised the recent decision by Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun to remove police personnel from the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission.
The move, seen as a setback in the fight against corruption and promotion of good governance, has sparked outrage among these leading voices in the anti-corruption community.
The Nigerian Police Force reportedly withdrawn approximately 40 officers who were providing security and investigative support to the anti-corruption agency in Kano State.
The withdrawal comes amid ongoing investigations into multi-billion Naira corruption allegations against the National Chairman of the ruling All-Progressives Congress (APC) party, Abdullahi Ganduje.
In a joint statement signed by leaders of the groups, Olanrewaju Suraju, Auwal Musa Rafsanjani and Zikrillahi Ibrahim, the CSOs said: “This withdrawal, which reportedly follows investigations into multi-billion Naira corruption allegations against the National Chairman of the ruling All-Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, raises serious concerns about the politicization of law enforcement agencies. The withdrawal of approximately 40 policemen providing security and investigative support severely undermines the crucial work of the anti-corruption agency in Kano State and threatens the constitutional requirements of the police’s impartially and independence.”
They added, “It is deeply troubling that law enforcement resources are being redirected away from combating corruption and instead appear to be utilized to obstruct investigations into high-profile individuals and undermine accountability. This action threatens the principles of federalism, transparency, accountability, and the rule of law.”
The statement emphasised the need for the IGP to prioritize the integrity and independence of law enforcement agencies. It urged the IGP to refrain from any actions that could be perceived as politically motivated, emphasizing that the fight against corruption should be free from political interference.
The CSOs commended the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Commission (ICPC) for their commendable response when Ganduje allegedly attempted to manipulate them against the Kano State Anti-Corruption Commission.
Considering these concerns, they called on the IGP to immediately reinstate police support to the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission. They stressed the importance of ensuring that law enforcement agencies remain impartial and committed to combating corruption in Nigeria.
They concluded by urging the IGP to embrace professionalism and uphold the principles of justice and accountability in the execution of his duties.
“Corruption poses a significant threat to the development and progress of our nation, and it is imperative that all stakeholders, including law enforcement agencies, civil society organizations, and governments, work together in a concerted effort to combat the scourge”, the statement read.
