Kano Court Restrains Police From Arresting APC Ward Executives For ‘Suspending’ Ganduje

A Kano State High Court has issued an exparte order preventing the Inspector General of Police (IGP), the Assistant Inspector General (AIG) Zone 1 Kano, and the Commissioner of Police, Kano from inviting, arresting, or harassing the All Progressives Congress (APC) ward officers at Ganduje Ward in the Dawakin-Tofa local government area.

Recall that the Ganduje Ward officers suspended the National Chairman of the APC, Abdullahi Ganduje, which was subsequently overturned by the state working committee of the party.

The ward officers then took legal action, seeking judicial affirmation of Ganduje’s suspension leading to the security operatives reportedly searching for the ward officers.

However, Justice Yusuf Ubale Muhammad, in the exparte order granted on May 2, 2024, restrained the APC National Working Committee (NWC), Kano State Working Committee, and Ganduje from using security operatives to arrest or detain the ward executives, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.

The exparte motion was filed by Jafar Adamu, Haladu Gwanjo, Laminu Sani Barguma, and 10 other factional ward officers, through their counsel, Shamsu Ubale Jibrin Esq where the applicants were seeking protection of their fundamental human rights as guaranteed by the constitution.

The motion was supported by two affidavits, the first sworn to by applicant Jafar Adamu (suit no. K/M759/2024) and the second sworn to by applicants Haladu Gwanjo and Laminu Sani Barguma (suit no. K/M758/2024).

The applicants are challenging the IGP, AIG Zone 1 Kano, Commissioner of Police Kano, APC, APC NWC, Kano APC State Council, and Ganduje himself.

“And after hearing Shamsu Ubale Jibrin Esq. of counsel for the two set of applicants today 2nd of May, 2024, it is hereby ordered as follows.

“An interim order of injunction is hereby granted restraining the respondents in the two consolidated suits, their officers, agents, privies, or any other officer serving under them from inviting, arresting, harassing or detaining the applicants in respect of the subject matter of the suit, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice already filed.

“It is further ordered that interim order for the motion on notice and all other processes in this suit shall be served on all the respondents, timeously and before the next adjourned date. The case adjourned to 5th June, 2024, for hearing of the motion on notice,” the motion reads.

The case adds another layer of complexity to the political dynamics within Kano State and the APC.