Police Intensify Manhunt For Gov Yusuf’s Spokesman Over Ganduje’s Suspension

No fewer than 40 special detectives from the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbedokun, monitoring team have intensified search for the arrest of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s spokesperson, Sanusi Bature Dawakin-Tofa.

The IGP men who were deployed from Abuja to arrest Bature on the instruction of acting chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje were said to have been lodged at Tahir Guests Palace in the last two weeks to execute the mandate.

Ganduje had petitioned the IGP over the controversy surrounding his suspension from his Ganduje ward in Dawakin-Tofa local government of the state, accusing the governor’s spokesperson who is from his constituency of orchestrating the political downfalls.

Family sources who spoke to newsmen yesterday stated that the team of detectives in plain clothes were noticed mounting surveillance around the residence of Bature on Monday as part of ground moves to carry out their assignment.

One of the members of the family, who pleaded to remain anonymous for security reasons, lamented that the secret police ransacked the residence for more than five times, scaring members of Bature’s family, including the wife and children, as well as creating apprehension in the neighbourhood.

The IGP special force has mounted a dragnet for Sanusi Bature’s arrest in the last two weeks despite an order of the court restraining the IGP, DSS, CP Kano and other security agencies from arresting and or harassing the governor’s spokesperson.

Justice Amina Adamu Aliyu of Kano State High Court on Thursday granted an exparte application, preventing further manhunt of Sanusi Bature Dawakin-Tofa pending the hearing and determination of substantive matter on his fundamental rights slated for 22nd January, 2025.

The animosity between Bature and Ganduje dates back nine years, specifically in 2015, when Ganduje, as governor-elect, reportedly ordered Bature’s arrest over his opposition during the gubernatorial election.

In the latest harassment, Ganduje was said to have petitioned the IGP , accusing Bature of being the brain behind his suspension by the APC Ganduje ward executives few months ago.

Consequently, a team of 40 police officers from the IGP Monitoring Unit was reportedly mobilised to Kano with the sole aim of apprehending the governor’s spokesperson.