Police speak as Muazu Magaji’s friend narrates how he was ‘flown to Kano at midnight’

The Kano state police Command has confirmed that Muazu Magaji, a critic of Kano state government, is in custody.

Daily Trust gathered that Magaji, a former Commissioner under Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, was arrested Thursday night in Abuja and flown to Kano.

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The spokesman of Kano police command, SP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, confirmed to our reporter on Friday that Magaji is in custody, adding that there are several complaints filed against.

Kiyawa said he would be charged to court after investigation.

Magaji, who has always criticised his former boss, Ganduje and the state government though his Facebook account, had earlier told Daily Trust that the police invited him concerning a petition received against him but it was gathered his lawyers, who have since filed an enforcement of fundamental human rights suit, appeared on his behalf before the police.

But on Thursday evening, he was reportedly arrested in a gestapo style few minutes after appearing on a political programme on Trust TV in Abuja.

Although Daily Trust has not independently verified what transpired after the programme, Ahmad Sajoh, who appeared with Magaji on the same programme, said “Immediately we finished he drove off before me. The police blocked him. He dodged. They followed him and forced him to violently crash in front of us. It was nearly fatal. His car was severely damaged. All the airbags had busted. A Street lamp pole broke and fell on top of the car on impact. I feared the worst. It was a miracle he came out alive. But the policemen did not care about his health.”

Sajoh continued: “He was arrested and dragged like a common criminal. I called a mutual friend and gave him the phone, they ripped it off him and gave me back. We had a shouting march. Then they allowed me collect his bag and the car key. My interventions may have saved the day. Perhaps they will have even done something worst to him. When I asked where they were taking him to, they said it was Utako police station. I secured his bag and the battery of his car. I wanted to arrange to tow the vehicle when they returned and ordered that it be towed to Utako police station. I followed the tow van and ensured it was securely taken to the police station.

“However when I went to Utako police station he was not there. By then, Bashir had joined us. We became worried because it was unprofessional for the police to claim they took him somewhere when they did not. The car was brought there on their orders but no record was made of it. We raised hell and forced the police to accompany us to all the police posts within the axis to find him. We felt he was abducted rather than arrested. We felt that they had motives other than arrest.

“Finally we got Information about him from the anti-kidnapping unit in Jabi. Through the policemen, we spoke to the officers who claimed they came from Kano to effect the arrest. They told us he was safe but when we enquired to speak to him they declined though we could hear his voice in the background. He was taken to the Airport and flown to Kano around midnight.“

Daily Trust reports that following the crisis and split in the Kano chapter of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC), Magaji has identified with the Senator Ibrahim Shekarau group, further pitting him against the state governor.