CSOs Slam IGP for Pulling Police Support from Kano Anti-Corruption Agency

Leading civil society organizations dedicated to combating corruption and promoting good governance have criticized Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun’s decision to withdraw police personnel from the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission. In a joint statement issued in Abuja on Sunday, groups 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) expressed deep concern over this move.

Olanrewaju Suraju, Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, and Zikrillahi Ibrahim, leaders of the aforementioned organizations, pointed out that the withdrawal of approximately 40 policemen from the anti-corruption agency comes amid investigations into multi-billion naira corruption allegations against APC National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje. They emphasized that such actions raise serious questions about the politicization of law enforcement agencies.

The withdrawal of police support severely hampers the anti-corruption agency’s crucial work in Kano State and undermines the police’s impartiality and independence, according to the civil society groups. They highlighted the troubling redirection of law enforcement resources away from combating corruption and towards obstructing investigations into high-profile individuals, which poses a threat to federalism, transparency, accountability, and the rule of law.

The organizations stressed the importance of the IGP prioritizing the integrity and independence of law enforcement agencies and urged him to refrain from politically motivated actions. They reiterated that the fight against corruption must remain free from political interference to uphold the principles of accountability and transparency.