Court Upholds ICPC’s Investigative Powers Of Kano Scholarship Funds

Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has secured a large judicial triumph arsenic the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, headed by Justice Josephine Obanor, dismissed attempts to restrain the bureau from carrying retired its statutory mandate of investigation.

The substance arose from a petition received by the committee alleging fiscal impropriety successful the medication of assistance funds successful Kano State.

In the people of the investigation, ICPC invited officials from the Kano State Ministry of Higher Education and the Kano State Scholarship Board to supply documents and clarifications.

ICPC spokesperson Demola Bakare said successful a connection that alternatively than comply, the applicants, led by the imperishable caput of the Kano State Ministry of Higher Education, Dr. Hadi Bala, filed Suit No. CV/2857/2025 against the Attorney-General of the Federation and ICPC, alleging that specified invitations violated their cardinal rights.

Delivering judgement connected the matter, Justice Obanor ruled that the officials of the Kano State Scholarship Board beryllium decently joined arsenic parties successful the suit and that the Attorney-General of the Federation beryllium struck retired arsenic a party, arsenic his joinder was unnecessary.

The justice held that an invitation missive from ICPC, for an probe purpose, does not represent a breach of cardinal rights.

The tribunal held that the applicants failed to amusement immoderate usurpation of their rights and reaffirmed that ICPC cannot beryllium restrained from performing its lawful work of investigation.

Consequently, the suit was dismissed for deficiency of merit.

Bakare further said, “This ruling reinforces the commission’s authorization to analyse cases of alleged corruption and fiscal misconduct successful enactment with its statutory mandate.

“The ICPC reiterates its unwavering committedness to transparency, accountability, and justness successful Nigeria’s nationalist sector, assuring Nigerians that owed process and the regularisation of instrumentality volition proceed to usher its operations.”