By Aminu Garko
Appeal
Kano, The Chairman of Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission, Mr Muhuyi Rimingado, has solicited the support of stakeholders in the ongoing fight against corruption in the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Rimingado made the appeal during courtesy visits to the Anthony General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Haruna Dederi; the Chief Judge of Kano State, Justice Dije Aboki; and Commissioner of Police, Mr Hussaini Gumel, in their offices.
At the Ministry of Justice, Rimingado appreciated the attorney-general’s cooperation to the commission, describing him as the best supervising commissioner of the four he was made to serve with.
He advocated for the amendment of the law establishing the agency which, he said, was last reviewed in 2010, two years after its enactment to include the issues relating to non-conviction forfeiture, among others.
Responding, Dederi encouraged the commission to put more effort in investigating and bringing to book the perpetrators of corruption and promised continued support to achieve set objectives.
He advised the anti-graft chairman to liaise with the department of legal drafting to actualise the desired amendments of law.
At the state High Court, Rimingado informed the chief judge, Justice Dije Aboki, that the commission is faced with enormous challenges of corruption fighting back, owing to the calibre of suspects involved in each case of corruption.
He lamented that incessant restraining court orders are undermining the functioning of his commission, ‘’as it stands today, the most difficult assignment in Nigeria is going after the corrupt’’.
He appreciated the contributions of the judiciary to the success recorded so far, urging the chief judge to come to the aid of the commission in ensuring that the rule of law prevailed.
While thanking the chairman and members of his team for the visit, Dije advised the commission as a creation of law to always respect the orders of a court no matter how bard it may feel about them.
She maintained that no judge worth his salt would stop a statutory agency from discharging its mandate but emphasised that it is a constitutional right of the citizens to seek protection under the constitution for their fundamental rights.
Dije further enjoined the commission to ensure that only petitions and complaints within its mandate are entertained.
She also urged the commission to relax its ADR mechanism under the public complaints and mediation department to be with consensus of both parties to the case and not under compulsion.
She assured the commission of the judiciary’s continued support in so far it confined exercise of its powers to the provisions of its law.
At the police command headquarters, Rimingado also solicited for the continued support of the police for the commission to maximally and effectively pursue its
mandate core of which is the enormousness task of the fight against corruption.
He lauded the contribution of the Police command under Gumel, describing it as the genesis of the commission’s success in the past.
Responding, Gumel congratulated the chairman and members of his team, most of whom are police officers, and other security officers, for a job well done.
”We will continue to support and encourage you to achieve the set objectives.
