Court in addition granted a perpetual injunction restraining the Kano State govt and its agents from arresting the legislator
By Kehinde Okeowo
A Federal High Court in Abuja has awarded N25 million as damages against the Kano State Government and the police for wrongly accusing Alhassan Doguwa, the Committee Chairman of Downstream Petroleum in the House of Representatives, of murder.
The judge in addition granted a perpetual injunction restraining the Kano State government and its agents from arresting the federal legislator.
Doguwa was arrested and charged to court by the police for the murder of three people believed to be members of the then-opposition New Nigerian People’s Party (NNPP) during the February 25, 2023, general election.
Following his arraignment, Doguwa, a member of the APC, accused the police and the Kano State Government of bias after he was arraigned as a principal actor in the fracas.
His petition led to a review of the police investigation of the incident by the police authorities.
The then-outgoing APC administration in the state later dropped the police investigation and exonerated him.
However, Kano’s new governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, upon assumption of office, said his government would re-open the case and prosecute Doguwa, whom he alleged killed over 15 people.
The governor, who is a member of NNPP, also assured that his administration would pursue the case to a logical conclusion.
“In the same vein, 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,” Yusuf said during his inaugural speech.
But Doguwa, who is representing Doguwa/Tudun Wada Federal Constituency of Kano State sued the Attorney-General of the Federation, Inspector-General of Police, the Governor of Kano State, and the Attorney-General of Kano State over the alleged infringement of his rights to dignity, liberty, and freedom of movement.
In a certified true copy of a judgment of the Federal High Court dated December 5, 2023, released last week, in suit No: FHC/ABJ/ABJ/CS/714/2019, the judge, D.U. Okorowo, cleared Doguwa of the murder allegation.
He also added, “General damages of N25 million against the 3rd respondent ONLY FOR causing psychological pain and damage to the applicant.”
