Court Reaffirms ICPC’s Power on Investigation of Kano Scholarship Funds
The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, has upheld the powers of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate alleged financial irregularities in the administration of scholarship funds in Kano State.
The case stemmed from a petition submitted to ICPC, which prompted the Commission to invite officials of the Kano State Ministry of Higher Education and the Kano State Scholarship Board for documents and clarifications.
Instead of honouring the invitation, the officials, led by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Higher Education, Dr. Hadi Bala, approached the court. They filed Suit No. CV/2857/2025 against the Attorney-General of the Federation and ICPC, alleging that the Commission’s actions violated their fundamental rights.
Read Also:
Delivering judgment, Justice Josephine Obanor ruled that the Attorney-General of the Federation was wrongly joined in the suit and struck out his name. The court further ordered that officials of the Scholarship Board be properly joined as parties.
Justice Obanor also held that an invitation letter issued by ICPC for investigation does not constitute a breach of fundamental rights, adding that the applicants failed to demonstrate how their rights had been infringed upon.
The court consequently dismissed the suit for lack of merit, affirming that ICPC cannot be restrained from carrying out its lawful duty of investigation.
In a statement on Tuesday, ICPC described the ruling as a major judicial victory, noting that it reinforces the Commission’s statutory mandate to probe corruption and financial misconduct in the public sector.
The Commission, through its spokesperson, Demola Bakare, reiterated its commitment to transparency, accountability, and justice, assuring Nigerians that its operations will continue to be guided by due process and the rule of law.
By PRNigeria
