Civil society groups in the anti-corruption community, have condemned the recent decision by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Kayode Egbetokun to withdraw police personnel from the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission under whatever guise.
The organisations including Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre), Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC); and Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED), made the condemnation on Sunday in Abuja in a joint statement.
Leaders of the organisations Olanrewaju Suraju, Auwal Musa Rafsanjani and Zikrillahi Ibrahim respectively, noted that the withdrawal, which reportedly follows investigations into multi-billion naira corruption allegations against the National Chairman of the ruling All-Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, raises serious concerns about the politicisation of law enforcement agencies.
“The withdrawal of approximately 40 policemen providing security and investigative support severely undermines the crucial work of the anti-corruption agency in Kano State and threatens the constitutional requirements of the police’s impartially and independence.
“It is deeply troubling that law enforcement resources are being redirected away from combating corruption and instead appear to be utilised to obstruct investigations into high-profile individuals and undermine accountability. This action threatens the principles of federalism, transparency, accountability, and the rule of law,” they said.
They stressed the need for the IGP to prioritise the integrity and independence of law enforcement agencies.
They also urged the IGP to refrain from any actions that could be perceived as politically motivated, emphasising that the fight against corruption should be free from political interference.
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