An alleged police operation in Kano on Friday resulted in the arrest of Muhuyi Magaji, the legal practitioner overseeing the prosecution of former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje and his children in the multibillion-naira Dala Inland Dry Port ownership controversy.
The development has intensified public outrage, drawing condemnation from human rights organisations and prompting a forceful response from the Kano State Government.
Witnesses reported that Magaji, who previously served as chairman of the Kano Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission, was apprehended at his chambers on Zaria Road by a heavily armed squad believed to have been deployed from the Force Headquarters in Abuja. His associate, Auwalu Ibrahim, told Channels Television that the officers arrived in a “Gestapo manner, with a truckload of armed men who threatened to shoot anyone who stood in their way.” He further alleged that Magaji was first taken to the Kano State Police Command before being moved to an unknown destination outside Kano.
Magaji’s arrest comes at a time when the Kano State Government is pursuing criminal actions involving Ganduje, his children, and several associates, accusing them of transferring the state’s 20 per cent equity in the Dala Inland Dry Port to private interests through a firm identified as City Green Enterprise. According to the state, this transfer eliminated Kano’s official stake in the massive project.
Amnesty International reacted strongly, issuing a statement late Friday condemning the circumstances surrounding the arrest. The organisation described it as “arbitrary” and driven by political motives, declaring that “Amnesty International strongly condemns the arbitrary arrest of Muhyi Magaji by the Nigeria Police Force.” It added that “This is yet another show of utter impunity and total disregard for the rule of law… Punishing him for his anti-corruption work is a stain on Nigeria’s image.” The group also noted that Magaji had previously endured harassment linked to corruption-related investigations carried out during Ganduje’s administration.
The Kano State Government also expressed alarm. In a formal statement released by the Attorney General on Friday evening, the government raised “deep concern” about the nature of the operation. The statement said, “Credible information indicates that the arrest occurred without a warrant or any court process,” stressing that the high-level police action took place “without any form of notification to the state’s justice system.” The Attorney General argued that the arrest defied existing court directives that prohibit the police from arresting or harassing Magaji. The statement also mentioned reports that more than forty armed officers participated in the operation, describing it as shocking at a time when the country faces severe security challenges.
The government further hinted at possible interference from “political elements operating outside Kano” who may be attempting to exploit federal security agents to undermine the state and hinder ongoing criminal cases. It demanded a public explanation from the police and insisted it would adopt every lawful measure to protect its citizens.
The dispute traces back to an investigation opened in September alleging that Ganduje covertly transferred the government’s 20 per cent share in the Dala Inland Dry Port to his children, an aide, and other private individuals. It was also alleged that a contract valued at more than ₦4 billion for infrastructure at the port was awarded under questionable circumstances. The Ganduje family has yet to offer a public response to these fresh accusations.
As of Saturday morning, neither the police nor federal authorities had released any information on Magaji’s location or the legal justification for his arrest. The Kano State Government urged residents to stay calm but alert, warning that the incident represents a “serious threat to criminal justice and public peace.” Civil society organisations have also begun mobilising, calling for transparency and demanding an immediate end to what they describe as an ongoing “politicisation of law enforcement.”
What you should know
Muhuyi Magaji’s arrest has intensified tensions in Kano at a critical moment, especially as he is leading a high-stakes corruption prosecution involving former Governor Ganduje and his children.
The operation, allegedly conducted without a warrant and involving unusually large armed deployment, has drawn immediate condemnation from Amnesty International and the Kano State Government. The uncertainty surrounding Magaji’s whereabouts, alongside claims of federal interference, has stirred public alarm amid an already charged political environment.
The case forms part of broader allegations that the state’s stake in the Dala Inland Dry Port was secretly diverted to private parties.
