EFCC Arrests Speaker Of Kano House Of Assembly, And 11 Others

The EFCC on Monday swooped on the Kano State House of Assembly and detained the Speaker of the House, Alh. Gambo Sallau, alongside principal officers in what the state government has described as a political assault on the state government following the mass defection of the State Governor, Engr. Rabiu Kwakwanso, alongside several other key politicians in government positions, to the opposition All Progressive Congress (APC) from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Arrested alongside the Speaker are the Deputy Speaker, Isyaku Ali Danja, the Chief Whip, Deputy Chief Whip, Majority Leader, Deputy Majority Leader, Minority Leader, Deputy Minority Leader, Chairman House Committee on Appropriation, Chairman House Committee on Finance and Clerk of the House.

A statement by the Government of Kano State said it noted with utter disappointment and surprise, the arrest of the officials.

The statement by the Director of Press and Public Relations to the state governor, Halilu Ibrahim Dantiye, stated that the public officials were apparently arrested in connection with the budget amendment of 2013 of the State Government, which has already been signed into law by the state governor, Rabi'u Musa Kwankwaso.

"It is Chrystal clear that the above mentioned public officials were arrested by the EFCC on the orders from the above, because of the legislators' defection to APC, in support of Governor Kwankwaso," the government said, adding that "This action is obviously to intimidate and cow them into submission for choosing to move to the progressive fold. This action is not only despicable and absurd but also capable of igniting crisis in the polity, thereby breaching the relative peace that is being enjoyed in Kano state. It is regrettable that the EFCC is allowing itself to be used as a tool of witch-hunt by the powers that be".