Muhyi Magaji Rimin Gado is a renowned activist and social crusader. On assumption of office as the Chairman Kano state Public Complaints and Anti-corruption Commission, he commenced investigations and prosecution of high profile cases that have led to his being dubbed the infant terrible by his critics.
In this interview with Blueprint Achievers Profile, he recounts how under his stewardship, corruption has no hiding place in the ancient city of Kano. He said all mechanisms have been deployed by the commission to pursue justice, expose and curb the violation of the fundamental rights and ensure the common wealth of the people of Kano is used in accordance with the laws and principles.
On assumption of office, after appointment by His Excellency, Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, how have been steering the commission to achieve its set out mandate?
First of all, when we receive public complaints, where possible, we mediate or deploy other methods of Alternative Dispute Resolution, in finding a way of resolving issues within the confines of the laid down rules and regulations. Likewise in fighting corruption, as anti-graft agency we always strive to borrow a leaf from sister agencies, like ICPC and EFCC. For this reason one should reason with fact that we strictly adhere to the laws of the land as contained in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
To create a smooth working environment the agency can now hold video Conference Facility, Virtual Private Network and Advance VHF/UF Ring Communication Network with Solarize Power as a solution.
Further, we have a software that was created to handle the followings, Integrated management portal; Complaint management system; Staff management sub- system; Registry system; Inventory management system; Notification system; Case tracking system,; Reporting system; Design and development.
These various digitilisation developments were handled by our , ICT unit which was created during the period under review.
How would describe the environment at the commission and what is your staff strength.?
No doubt our working environment is not hostile, as a matter of fact I can categorically said it is conducive.
The commission has more than 40 permanent and auxiliary staff. The number covers centrally controlled staff both Head of Service, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Justice as well as others pooled from some Government establishments. The Commission has equally engaged many casual staff to assist in carrying out its activities. Also there are other paramilitary attachees posted from the Police, Civil Defense and Corporate Security personnel, who are attached to the commission.
From 2015 till date, the Commission has been able to employ 14 new members of staff to strengthened the commission’s investigation capacity, as well as additional five staff casual workers.
Our Operations Department came into existence right from the establishment of the Commission and on my assumption of duty, I found few police attaches, mostly posted from office of the Assistant Inspector General of Police Zone I with the aim of assisting the execution of the Commission works. Based on the standard used by our sister organizations at Federal level, the Management resolved to create operations Department to be manned by a senior police officer.
The department was created and a Deputy superintendent of Police (DSP) was posted to head the unit. The Commission received the Ag. Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Ibrahim Magu on a courtesy visit to the Commission and suggest for a more senior police officer to head the department. It is on that advice that, today the department is under the supervision of Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), with his officers and men. This help the Commission to Investigate criminal activities whenever it comes to the implementation of the statutory role of the Commission.
How does the Kano public perceive your work in the state?
There is a Public Complaints and Mediation Department. This department registered a total of 333 complaints/petitions on generic issues in 2015, 480 complaints/petitions in 2016, 616 complaints/petitions in 2017 and 591 complaints/petitions in 2018 respectively. This progress indicated the progress achieved and the public awareness and confidence reposed in the commission by the populace.
What are you doing to address the menace of violations of fundamental human rights?
There is a department handling human right abuses, called Citizen’s Rights Promotion and Protection Department, and it is also saddled with the responsibility of compiling complaints from the public as it strives hard to unravel the mysteries and deal with issues, from 2015 to date, the department received 145 complaints/petitions in 2015, 357 complaints/petitions in 2016, 436 complaints/petitionsin 2017 and 235 complaints/petitions in 2018. The complaints mostly bothered on various forms of allegation of abuse of rights of persons, allegation of human rights violations, judicial injustices, civil transactions involving individuals, groups and corporate bodies and criminal offences.
What impact have you made in your anti-graft war?
By and large, the anti-corruption department is solely meant to chase away the cankerworm of corruption out of our territory from the domain of Kano state and the country in general. To be candid, we are able to deal with several cases from 2015 to date.
Thus, the anti-corruption department received 088 complaints/petitions in 2015, 156 complaints/petitions in 2016, 186 complaints/petitions in 2017 and 044 complaints/petitions in 2018 respectively. All other departments liaised with operations department in order to discharge responsibilities in the right order.
This department received 305 complaints/petitions in 2017 and 207 complaints/petitions in 2018 and 47 in the first quarter of 2019 respectively. The complaints mostly bothered on corruption allegations which requires a thorough and professional investigative methods. It is imperative at this juncture to note that, the department ably recovered nine plots of land situated at various locations in the state and a house situated at Hotoro quarters, Kano in addition to recovery of funds.
Public Suggestion Box is also a new department initiated by me, in the commission. The public Suggestion Box Committee was transferred to the commission by His Excellency, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, and mandated it to receive complaints/petitions and or suggestions made to the state Government. It is from this department that complaints are generated and forwarded to the related MDA or directed to His Excellency’s office for redress.
Hence, with Special/Legal Team the Commission is able to dispense some sensitive cases or cases that requires legal attention, the special team and legal team were created and are definitely attaining the desired target.
How do you strive to recover illegally acquired wealth and return same to individuals or government agencies concerned?
The commission has made several recoveries from individuals, government agencies and other organisations amounting to over N500,000,000 and some of these amounts are duly returned to their rightful owners.
Also, properties have been recovered, both moveable and immoveable properties. But those that are worth noting during the period under review include; a parcel of land covering a total area of 6,7123 hectares at Dotsa village, Kumbotso district, Kumbotso local government state belonging to the family of late Maiwada Abubakar
How consistent is your commission in enlightening the general public on the activities of the Kano Public Complaints and Anti Corruption Commission?
There is a department saddled with such kind of responsibilities, which is to create public education and awareness. And the legal basis for public education work. The public education function of the commission is drawn from Section 15 (I) of the Kano state Public Complaint and Anti-Corruption Commission Law 2008. This law charges the commission with the duty of educating the public against the evils of corruption, injustices and other vices as well as eliciting and fostering public support in combating corruption.
In compliance with this laid down rule and regulation stated in Section 15 (I) of the Kano state Public Complaint and Anti-Corruption Commission Law 2008 as amended, the Commission embarked on various sensitization programmes in addition to several media discussions that focused on the objectives of the formation of the Commission. Initially, the activities done, point out the significance of corruption fighting and prevention of leakages, as well as dealing with a number of potentially contentious issues surrounding the fight against corruption. The sensitization and the media programmes received good coverage and feedback from the public.
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