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Kano Magistrate Aminu Gabari Accused Of Forceful Collection Of Bribe

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4 years ago

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Magistrate Aminu Gabari

 

A senior magistrate in Kano, Aminu Gabari, has allegedly forced a litigant in a case before his court to pay the sum of N400,000 to his account as bribe.

Mr Gabari is notorious for jailing and imposing stringent bail conditions on critics of the governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Ganduje.

DAILY NIGERIAN gathered that direct complaints emanating from the Kano Government House are always filed and prosecuted in his court, in clear contravention of Section 107 (4)(5)(6) of the Administration Criminal Justice Law, ACJL, which provides that magistrates in whose courts direct complaints are filed should not be the ones to try the substantive matter but only take cognisance of the offence and direct the matter to another magistrate.

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Insiders also told DAILY NIGERIAN that “lucrative cases” involving high profile persons or huge amounts of money are often directed to his court, for reasons best known to the state judiciary.

In a petition addressed to the Kano Chief Judge, Nura Sagir, one Ismail Maitama Yusuf (a complainant before Mr Gabari) claimed that he paid the sum of N400,000 in two tranches to Mr Gabari in order to secure the release of a part of his money deposited in the court.

The petition, dated January 31, 2022, also revealed how Mr Gabari released two suspects in questionable circumstances, despite defrauding the petitioner N38 million.

The petition reads in part: “Sir, sometime in December 2020, I was defrauded by some people named Abbas Dauda Isah, Awwal Mainasara and Jeremiah Obida (now defendants), where they conspired and defrauded me the sum of N38,000,000 (Thirty Eight Million Naira) as a result of which the police from the AIG Zone 1 Kano filed FIR against them, (and) same was directed to Senior Magistrate Court 58 Normansland, Kano for prosecution of the offences of conspiracy and receipt by false pretense.

Sir, during the arraignment, the defendants admitted the alleged offences and the court asked them to write an undertaking for the refund of my money. They undertook in writing to refund my money within two weeks from the date of the arraignment, but they failed to do so as promised. Instead, the two defendants only deposited the sum of N3,000,000 each, making the total sum of N6,000,000 as part of my money. They are Abbas Dauda Isah and Auwal Mainassara.

“Sir, the court released them on bail, but the third defendant (Jeremiah Obida) was released on bail without providing any surety/sureties for the reason best known to the court, as a result of which he (Jeremiah Obida) absconded bail and disappeared for the period of more than 8 months.

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Sir, before the sum of N6,000,000 deposited as part of my money released to me, I was forced by the above mentioned magistrate that I will be given the money on bond and I must give him the sum of N400,000 as his share, which he collected the sum of N200,000 through bank account. I attached the back payment slip of N200,000 to his bank account as evidence.

“Subsequently, he collected the addition at sum of N200,000 cash from me at his residence in Sharada Jaen, Baffa Babba Dan-Agundi line, in the presence of Mallam Bashir Ahmed and Yusuf Muhammad Sani as witnesses.

“Sir, as soon as the court knew that he (Jeremiah Obida) was re-apprehended by his co-defendants, the court without any application by either party, transferred the case instantly to Chief Magistrate Court 14, Gyadi-Gyadi Complex, because the Magistrate Court 58 does not want the secret behind the abscondment of bail of the Jeremiah Obida to be exposed, and therefore, the magistrate extracted some important documents in the case file, including the bond I was forced to write and the undertaking written for the refund of my money by Jeremiah Obida and then transferred the case, almost empty file.

Sir, with utmost respect, despite the fact that the case was transferred before Chief Magistrate Court 14 Gyadi-Gyadi suo-moto by the Court 58, however, His Worship Aminu Muhammad Gabari keeps calling me with his mobile phone number (08065433765) on different occasions that I should refund the sum of N6,000,000 to him, or else he will deal with me and even threatened to arrest anytime and anywhere.”

When DAILY NIGERIAN approached Mr Gabari to speak on the allegations, the magistrate denied collecting any bribe from the petitioner, saying that the allegation is a mere claim.

According to Mr Gabari, the petitioner came up with the allegations in order to create public sympathy because he was declared wanted by the court.

He said: “I can’t respond to the petition. Responding to the petition means I am joining issues with him, which contravenes my stand as a public servant.

“If you need further clarification on the matter, please contact the PRO of the court.

“In fact, the petitioner is on bench warrant. I have ordered for his arrest in order to return the N6million he collected on bond. He promised to return the money anytime the court needs it but has refused to do so.”

Spokesman for Kano judiciary, Baba Jibo Ibrahim, said he could not speak on the matter at the moment.

He explained that he travelled out of the country, and that receiving or making international call would deplete his call credit.

Legal experts however opine that the issuance of the bench warrant against the nominal complainant amounts to abuse of office and gross misapplication of the law on the grounds that the magistrate is no longer exercising jurisdiction on the case and the fact that the magistrate cannot be a judge in his own case.

The experts further argued that monetary deposits for bail can only be released to the defendant who furnished same on bond and not to the nominal complainant as that would amount to determining the matter.

Barrage of accusations against Gabari

A Civil Society Organisation, Centre for Awareness on Justice and Accountability, CAJA, recently petitioned the National Judicial Council, over Kano State chief judge, Nura Sagir’s alleged inaction on petitions of misconducts against Mr Gabari.

In a three page petition, signed by Kabiru Saidu Dakata, its Executive Director and addressed to NJC Chairman and Chief Justice of Nigeria, the CSO accused the leadership of Kano judiciary of inaction to complaints on various acts of corruption,discriminatory/preferential treatments of litigants and biases in the direction of cases to the magistrate courts.

In the petition, dated March 15, CAJA said the magistrate, who its findings reveal, is notorious for doing the biddings of government, citing at least six cases involving critics of the Governor.

Source (Daily NIGERIAN)

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U.S. Discontinues Routine Visa Services in Abuja, 24 Other African Cities

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3 hours ago

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July 30, 2026

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The U.S. government says routine visa services in Abuja and 24 other African cities will end on August 1.

“Effective August 1, 2026, the Department of State will realign routine visa services in Antananarivo, Abuja, Asmara, Bamako, Banjul, Brazzaville, Bujumbura, Conakry, Cotonou, Durban, Freetown, Gaborone, Harare, Juba, Libreville, Lilongwe, Lusaka, Maputo, Maseru, Mbabane, N’Djamena, Niamey, Nouakchott, Ouagadougou, and Windhoek to a regional visa hub,” the agency stated.

It noted that citizens and residents of the affected countries who wish to apply for a visa on or after August 1, 2026, must schedule an appointment and pay the required visa fee at the appropriate designated non-immigrant visa locations or designated immigrant visa locations.

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From August 1, Nigerians who want to process a U.S. visa would have to travel to the U.S. consulate in Lagos.

According to a statement on July 23 by the agency, the move is “realigning visa operations in Africa to regional hubs, part of a long-standing Department practice that strengthens national security by promoting more uniform screening, vetting, and adjudication standards, as well as improves efficiency”.

Last June, reports had it that Abuja was missing from President Donald Trump administration’s shortlist of 20 African cities where foreigners seeking to travel to the U.S. can process visa applications.

The U.S. currently has around 50 embassies and consulates across Africa that process visa applications, but the new move by the State Department will slash that number to 20 amid Mr Trump’s crackdown on immigration.

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Breaking:Sardaunan Sokoto Alhaji Abubakar Alhaji Is Dead

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4 hours ago

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July 30, 2026

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Late Alhaji Abubakar Alhaji

Abbas Yushau Yusuf

The Sardaunan Sokoto and Nigeria’s former British high commissioner Alhaji Abubakar Alhaji is dead.

A family source informed Nigerian Tracker about the passing of Alhaji Abubakar Alhaji this morning

Alhaji Abubakar Alhaji died this morning in Abuja Hospital after a prolong illness.

NIGERIAN TRACKER reports that Abubakar Alhaji is a Nigerian administrator who is a former Minister of Planning and Finance. He currently holds the title of Sardauna of Sokoto. Alhaji was a long serving Permanent Secretary who worked with various Nigerian administrations

Alhaji was born to the family of Muhammed Sani also known as Alhaji Alhaji because he was born on the day of Sallah and went on a made pilgrimage to Mecca, he was also called Dogon Daji, Sarkin Shanu.

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Alhaji attended a secondary school in Kano before transferring to Katsina Government College. He later attended Bournemouth College of Commerce and University of Reading, Berkshire earning a degree in political economy.

Alhaji took courses at the Hague Institute of Social Services and the IMF Institute, Washington.

He joined the Nigerian civil service in 1964 and was an Assistant Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Finance in the late 1960s. After attending a course in Hague, he was briefly posted to the Ministry of Industries where he became a Principal Assistant Secretary. In 1971, he was posted back to the Ministry of Finance. In 1975, he became a Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Trade and was in the ministry till 1978. In 1979, he was posted to the Finance Ministry as the Permanent Secretary. In his role at the Finance Ministry, he was involved in managing Nigeria’s relationship with its external creditors and was on the Nigerian negotiating team for Lome II agreement.

Alhaji was later posted to the Ministry of Planning before Babangida upgraded his position as Minister of State, Budget and Planning in 1988. Between 1990 and 1991, he was the Minister of Finance. In the mid-1990s, he was the country’s High Commissioner to United Kingdom.

Alhaji was turbaned Sardauna in 1990, the previous title holder, Ahmadu Bello died in 1966. He is a senior brother to the late Aliyu Dasuki who was raised by Ibrahim Dasuki. He has a grandson, Ibraheem Dasuki Aminu-Alhaji.

 

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ADC Youths Call on Atiku to Intervene Over Allegations of Injustice in Primary Elections, Demand Resignation of David Mark

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5 hours ago

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July 30, 2026

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The National Youth Wing of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has demanded the immediate resignation of the party’s National Chairman, Senator David Mark, and National Secretary, Rauf Aregbesola, over allegations of injustice and bias in party affairs.

The youths made the demand during a press conference addressed by the ADC National Youth Leader, Balarabe Rufa’i.

They accused the leadership of Mark and Aregbesola of failing to uphold fairness and internal democracy. According to them, the party leadership has resorted to favoritism by dropping candidates who won primaries and substituting them with individuals who did not participate in the process.

They said the problem is most visible in Kano State a key political state in Nigeria.

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As examples, the youths cited Ambassador Abdurrahman Mai Nasara Salga, the ADC House of Representatives candidate for Dala Federal Constituency. They said Salga worked hard, invested resources, and mobilized support for the party in Kano, won the primary election, but was later removed from the party’s candidate list by the national leadership.

They also cited the case of the National Youth Leader himself, Balarabe Rufa’i, who is the ADC senatorial candidate for Kano Central. Rufa’i won the party’s primary, but his name is yet to be forwarded to INEC as the party’s official candidate.

The youths further alleged that in several Local Government Areas in Kano where primaries were conducted for House of Representatives candidates, a prominent ADC figure, Naja’atu Bala, unilaterally removed the names of the winners. She claimed that no elections were held and left those constituencies vacant on the list submitted to INEC.

They accused Naja’atu of deliberately sabotaging the growth of the ADC in Kano State.

Because of this, the youths called on the party’s presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, and other critical stakeholders who genuinely want the party to succeed to intervene urgently.

They said Kano is a political hub and central to the ADC’s acceptability nationwide. If the injustice in the state is not addressed, it will damage the gains the party has made and affect its chances in the 2027 elections.

The youths described the development as a gross failure of leadership on the part of David Mark and Aregbesola. They warned that continuing to replace legitimate candidates with handpicked ones will lead to the party’s defeat in the coming elections.

“To save the ADC and restore justice, we are calling on Senator David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola to step down immediately,” the youths declared.

“We will not sit and watch the sacrifices of those who built this party be wiped out. If you cannot provide fair leadership, then step aside for those who can,” the statement concluded.

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