DESPITE viral video showing Kano Governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, allegedly receiving a bribe from a contractor, court has dismissed a suit by the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) seeking to investigate the governor.
In the early hours of Monday, a Federal High Court sitting in Kano dismissed the suit filed by a lawyer, Bulama Bukarti who sought an order of the court to instruct the EFCC to investigate the governor.
Sitting Judge on the case, Justice Obiora Egwuatu dismissed the case on grounds that it lacked evidence sustainable for the court order to be given.
Egwuatu ruled that the EFCC does not have the record of the forensic analysis of the bribery allegations.
He added that the report of the forensic analysis ought to have been given to the Kano State Assembly ad-hoc committee set up to investigate the bribery case.
The judge maintained that the provisions of Freedom of Information Act 2011 cited by the prosecution required that the information requested must be a public record and in the custody of the organisation requested from.
Over a year ago, Former Kano Assembly Speaker, Kabiru Al-Hassan Rurum had constituted a House committee to investigate and submit reports on the viral video within one month.
Lukman Abolade is an Investigative reporter with The ICIR. Reach out to him via labolade@icirnigeria.org, on twitter @AboladeLAA and FB @Correction94