…Says Arrest Politically Motivated to Intimidate Anti-Graft Efforts
The Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre) has condemned the arrest of the former Chairman of the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission, Muhuyi Magaji, by operatives of the Nigeria Police Force, describing the development as politically motivated and a violation of due process, aimed at undermining anti-corruption efforts.
Magaji was arrested on Friday when heavily armed police officers stormed his law firm in Kano. Eyewitnesses said the officers threatened to shoot anyone who attempted to intervene before taking him into custody. The arrest was reportedly carried out on the directives of the Inspector General of Police, after which Magaji was immediately transferred to Abuja.
In a statement signed by HEDA’s Chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju, the civil society organisation said the arrest reflects a recurring pattern of intimidation against Magaji, who has been repeatedly targeted since exposing alleged large-scale corruption linked to the administration of former Kano governor Abdullahi Ganduje.
HEDA recalled that Magaji was similarly arrested in January by a special monitoring team from the office of the Inspector General shortly after his commission initiated investigations into high-profile corruption allegations.
According to Suraju, the latest incident raises serious concerns about political motivations behind the police action and warned that the misuse of federal security agencies for partisan objectives undermines justice, democracy, and public accountability. He added that deploying state power to suppress anti-corruption efforts could further heighten political tensions in Kano State.
“HEDA calls on the Nigeria Police Force to immediately and publicly clarify the legal basis for Magaji’s arrest, the justification for his transfer to Abuja, and the specific allegations against him. We urge the police to demonstrate full compliance with constitutional provisions, due process requirements, and international human rights standards in handling the matter,” he said.
The group also warned against arbitrary detention or inhumane treatment of the former anti-graft chairman, noting that such actions threaten Nigeria’s democratic institutions and anti-corruption framework. HEDA insisted that if the police cannot provide lawful justification for the arrest, Magaji should be released without delay.
HEDA reaffirmed its commitment to defending the rule of law and protecting individuals engaged in anti-corruption work in Nigeria.