Muhuyi Magaji Rimingado, the chairman of the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission (PCACC), has found himself in hot water after allegedly being arrested by Nigerian police two weeks after he moved confiscated properties connected to a well-known corruption case.
There have been many discussions and issues surrounding his detention and eventual release. The Inspector General of Police (IGP) ordered Magaji’s arrest on Friday. ASP Ahmed Bello served as the team’s leader.
The current prosecution of Bala Muhammad Inuwa, the former managing director of the Kano Agricultural Supply Company (KASCO), is said to be connected to the arrest.
The main focus of Inuwa’s trial, which started in November 2023 at the Kano High Court with Justice Hafsat Yahaya as the presiding judge, is the confiscation of assets, including bank accounts, that are purportedly connected to the misappropriation of more than ₦4 billion in public monies.
The Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission (PCACC) detained Inuwa in August 2023 on suspicion of embezzling public monies through the Association of Compassionate Friends, an NGO he established.
Inuwa is charged with a number of offenses, including criminal breach of trust, criminal misappropriation, and making false statements, along with his son, Bala Inuwa Muhammad Jr., and other accomplices.
They allegedly moved money intended for KASCO into personal accounts between August 2022 and April 2023, according to the allegations.
Inuwa was given administrative bail on self-recognizance by a Kano State High Court after their arrests, while his son was given bail with stringent requirements, such as a ₦10 million bond. Inuwa’s legal team persisted in the legal processes, contesting the PCACC’s jurisdiction, requesting the removal of police personnel assigned to Limestone Processing Links Ltd., and requesting the withdrawal of specific judges.
In January 2025, it took a different turn when Inuwa accused PCACC of stealing his goods in violation of court orders, sparking a public uproar.
He pleaded with police enforcement to uphold court rulings and refrain from undermining the court’s jurisdiction in the pending cases.
Inuwa told reporters on January 8 that the agency had violated a High Court decision by seizing assets that were filled with trailers, fertilizer grinders, and other farming equipment.
The PCACC chair strongly refuted these claims in response, claiming that the restraining orders that Inuwa had acquired were temporary measures that had ended in 2024.
He added that even though the PCACC was the main organization in charge of the properties that were seized, they were not included in the proceedings. Magaji underlined that while the case is pending, the commission is authorized to secure such properties under Section 40 of the Kano Anti-Corruption Law.
At a press event two weeks ago, Magaji revealed that his commission had blocked an attempt to move seized vehicles, including trucks, trailers, and minivans, valued at more than ₦2 billion. The commodities were relocated from Kumbotso Local Government Area to a state government facility in Nasarawa GRA.
To address the matter, the Nigeria Police responded on Monday by releasing a statement. Police claim that Magaji was invited for interrogation regarding a petition against him rather than being taken into custody.
“We would like to clarify that Mr. Magaji was not arrested; rather, he was invited by the Force in relation to a petition received against him,” said ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the Force Public Relations Officer. Any claims that Mr. Magaji was taken into custody are false and deceptive.
Magaji claimed in an interview with Channels Television on Monday that a suspect his agency was prosecuting had planned his arrest.
He characterized it as revenge from those involved in corruption. “Corruption battles are dirty, but anti-corruption battles are fair.” Numerous actions are being planned against my person,” he stated. Magaji decided to move the confiscated properties to a more secure area after accusing the accused of trying to tamper with the evidence.
“They called the police to arrest me after they failed in court,” he continued.
Magaji also bemoaned the difficulties in fighting corruption at a one-day dissemination event for the Kano State Anti-Corruption Strategy (2024-2028) and the Kano Open Government Partnership (OGP) Second State Action Plan (SAP II 2024-2025) held in Kano on Tuesday, highlighting how dishonest people take advantage of the system to retaliate.
He described the course of the ongoing case. The funds in question were deposited into KASCO’s account between May 2022 and May 2023. It was siphoned by the agency’s then-head. We found approximately ₦43 billion that had been spent and froze about ₦700 million in cash that had not been used.
We kept track of the assets they bought, legally seized them, and filed a court complaint. Magaji clarified that although the Commission made headway in the case, what he called “judicial interference” hampered operations.
He described the purported removal of ₦200 million of the banned funds through dubious legal means.
Through the backdoor, someone assisted these individuals in removing ₦200 million of the ₦700 million that we had barred. They are retaliating with this money.
In addition, they tried to take the property we had pledged as proof in court. At that point, I answered, “No.” Magaji denounced the purported involvement of law enforcement and judiciary officials in facilitating corruption. He gave the example of a senior police officer who said, “The property belongs to Ganduje, and you’re too small to seize it,” rejecting the Commission’s efforts.
According to Magaji, “this is not about personalities. This is about anti-corruption. Regardless of your status, as long as you break the law, the law will go after you.
In an egalitarian society, we are all supposed to be equal in the eyes of the law.” He also revealed that the police officers securing the confiscated property were removed under suspicious circumstances, which prompted the deployment of civil defense officers: “Three hours after we stationed civil defense personnel, I received a call that they had been ordered to withdraw. I had no choice but to call on KAROTA to secure the property.”
Magaji described the threats he received, including an attempt to have him arrested on suspicion of trespassing, damage, and abuse of authority. He questioned why such claims were made: “As the leader of an organization with legal authority, can I even misuse my position? Is it the right course of action if I do? “What do you stand to lose if you let them take the property?” someone asked me. Upholding the law is the goal of this battle, not me,” he continued.
Numerous groups have voiced their disapproval of the arrest. Among them was the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), which condemned the conduct in a statement and warned that it erodes public trust and undermines Nigeria’s anti-corruption efforts.
Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, the Executive Director of CISLAC, urged the Inspector General of Police to make sure that desperate politicians do not exploit his position to protect influential people from justifiable inquiries.
Concerns on the situation were also voiced by Umar Hamisu Kofar Na’isa, Executive Director of the Society for Educational Development and Socio-democratic Activities, or SEDSAC, in Kano. He suggested to DAILY POST that Magaji’s alleged ties to the opposition parties could be the cause of the problem.
He stated, “A lot of things have happened, and some of them seem to be part of a conspiracy.”
The director of the humanitarian effort stressed the value of due process and the need for the police to maintain their objectivity. “The police are supposed to be impartial,” said Hamisu, underscoring the police’s function as an impartial organization. The Nigerian Police Code of Conduct makes it very clear that officers are not allowed to practice any kind of bias, including cultural nepotism or religious partiality.
He cautioned that the public’s confidence in the police’s impartiality would be damaged if it were discovered that they were acting improperly in this instance. He went on to say that no one or organization is above the law and that everyone must follow court decisions unless a higher court gives an order to the contrary.
Controversies like this arise when court orders or injunctions are ignored, said Hamisu. Instead than fighting in public, Hamisu asked all parties to disclose their evidence in court. “The parties involved should explain their viewpoints in court to determine if the properties in question are actually the proceeds of misappropriation or not.
“The truth ought to win out,” he said. Additionally, he urged Magaji to respond to the accusations in a legal manner and refrain from giving the impression that the anti-corruption commission is being utilized for political purposes.
Hamisu went on to say, “The agency’s reputation is bigger than any individual or personal grievances.” In order to preserve the integrity of the anti-corruption campaign and rebuild public confidence in the process, he urged all stakeholders to act transparently and legally.