New Kano Gov Vows To Reopen Murder Case Against Doguwa
NEW governor of Kano State, Abba Yusuf, has vowed to re-open the murder case against the Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hassan Ado Doguwa.
Doguwa is an All Progressives Congress (APC) member representing the state’s Doguwa/Tudun Wada Federal Constituency.
Several state residents accused him of masterminding the violence and killings that characterised the 25th February Presidential and National Assembly elections in his constituency.
The campaign office of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) House of Representatives candidate of Tudun Wada/Doguwa Federal Constituency was burnt by political thugs during the election.
In April, The ICIR reported how Doguwa allegedly “led thugs and caused violence while possessing firearms”.
Following his alleged involvement in the violence recorded during the election, the police arrested Doguwa at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) on 28th February after he failed to honour an invitation.
The ICIR reported that the lawmaker was subsequently arraigned for alleged murder and violence during the election.
However, a few days to the end of the APC administration headed by the immediate past governor Abdullahi Ganduje, the state Ministry of Justice announced that Doguwa has been cleared of the murder charges.
Ganduje’s Commissioner of Justice and Attorney-General, Abdullahi-Lawan, while briefing newsmen in Kano, said the ministry could not substantiate charges of criminal conspiracy and culpable homicide against Doguwa.
He said facts and observations were not enough to link Doguwa with the said offences.
However, the new governor, in his inaugural speech on Monday, 29th May, vowed to reopen the murder case against Doguwa.
“We shall investigate all cases of political violence that led to the loss of lives and properties across the state in the last eight years. The infamous case of Alhassan Ado Doguwa, who allegedly sponsored the maiming and murder of over 15 innocent souls in Tudun Wada Local Government, will be pursued to its logical conclusion,” he said.
The governor also vowed to revisit all cases of electoral violence throughout the eight years of his predecessor in office.
The review will also include all crimes and injustices against the people of the state during Ganduje’s tenure.
To this end, the governor said his government would set up a judicial commission of inquiry to ensure that the perpetrators of the crime and their sponsors are punished, and the families of victims of political thuggery and other crimes are compensated.
Meanwhile, the governor has sacked the Chairman and Executive Secretary of the State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Sheikh Abdullahi Pakistan and Muhammad Abba Danbatta, respectively, who were appointed by his predecessor.
He has also dissolved the board.
This was disclosed in a statement released by the governor’s spokesperson, Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, on Tuesday, 30 May.
Source: The International Centre for Investigative Reporting (The ICIR)
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