The immediate past Chairman of the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission (PCACC), Barrister Muhuyi Magaji Rimin-Gado, has revealed that his recent arrest and detention by the police were directly linked to his role as the lead prosecutor in a multi-billion Naira case against former Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and his family.
Naijaonpoint reports that Rimin-Gado was arrested on Friday, December 5, 2025, by heavily armed operatives of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Squad from Abuja and was detained for over 24 hours.
Speaking after his release on Saturday, Rimin-Gado confirmed that the motive behind the arrest was to impede the ongoing prosecution of the Dala Inland Dry Port ownership scandal.
Rimin-Gado stated that since leaving his PCACC office, he has returned to active legal practice and is the lead counsel in the Dala Inland Dry Port case.
Upon arrival in Abuja under heavy police guard, he alleged he was served with fresh court charges bordering on malicious charges and defamation.
He questioned the legality of the move, asking, “If not in Nigeria, tell me where a suspect standing trial would refuse to defend himself and instead hire police officers to arrest the lead prosecution counsel and accuse him of defamation?”
Rimin-Gado recounted the dramatic nature of his arrest, where he was whisked away from his Kano office and sandwiched into a vehicle for a night-long drive to Abuja, noting that officers declined his demand to see an arrest warrant.
He stated that police have released him on bail, adding that he instructed to report back in Abuja on Wednesday.
He said he was also required to surrender his international passport.
The Kano State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Abdulkareem Maude SAN, had previously queried the arrest, confirming that Rimin-Gado was taken by about 40 armed operatives without a warrant.
The AG linked the action to Rimin-Gado possessing “critical, firsthand, and well-documented evidence” against politically exposed persons in Kano, arguing the timing was calculated to obstruct justice.
The Dala Inland Dry Port case involves a multi-billion-naira lawsuit filed by the Kano State Government against former Governor Ganduje, his children, and associates.
The suit alleges that the state’s 20 percent equity stake in the Dala Inland Dry Port was “unlawfully and fraudulently” transferred to private individuals, including the Ganduje family.
The suit seeks to recover ₦4.49 billion allegedly misappropriated during Ganduje’s tenure and diverted to fund infrastructure for the private business interest at the Dry Port.
The former governor, who is also the immediate past National Chairman of the APC, has not publicly responded to the latest development concerning the arrest of the lead prosecution counsel.
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