By Ishaya Ibrahim
In a Radio interview weeks before the February 23 and March 9 elections, the lanky looking Kano State Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Wakil, told his interviewer that nobody, no matter how highly placed, could loop him into dishonest act, because, he said he fears no one but God alone.
On March 10, as if to give bite to that assertion, he ordered the arrest of the Kano State Deputy Governor, Nasir Gawuna, for attempting to disrupt the collation of results for the governorship and National Assembly elections.
The deputy governor was arrested along side with the commissioner in charge of local government and chieftaincy affairs, Sule Garo.
The two top officials were arrested at about 2: am on Monday after they arrived the venue of the state collation centre and began to disrupt the process.
Their actions led to a halt in the announcement of results at the centre after some youth suspected to be supporters of the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) tried to attack the two officials.
The action of Wakil is novel, especially as the deputy governor is a member of the ruling party, the All Progressive Congress (APC) and his arrest could come with some consequences for the Kano State police boss.
It is also novel because security apparatus in Nigeria largely protected the men in power rather than the law and the weak. Wakil, by his action, has shown that the status quo can be disrupted, and a new regime of equality before the law is instituted.
The two men were taken to a nearby police station, not the Police Headquarters. So, there was no chance for them to have audience with Wakil.
While the police are expected to release the deputy governor because he enjoys immunity, and the offence in question is bailable, Wakil has by that act, shown that the law is supreme.
Wakili was one of the pioneer detectives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
He is famous for his fight against drug abuse which is prevalent in Kano.
“Everywhere is drug abuse, everybody complains about drug abuse. Men abuse drugs, women abuse drugs, adult abuse drugs, children abuse drugs,” he was seen in a video talking about the menace.
His posting to Kano is strategic, to deal with the illicit abuse of drugs. But he moved an inch further – to tackle impunity.
For those wishing that one day Wakil might become Nigeria’s Inspector General of Police. This may not be possible because he has only three months left before he proceeds on retirement.
