Court acquits Ado Doguwa of murder charges, slam fines on Kano govt, police

The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered N25 million in damages against the Kano State Government and the police for falsely accusing Alhaji Alhassan Ado Doguwa of murder.

During the February 25, 2023, general election, Mr. Doguwa, a representative of the Doguwa/Tudun Wada Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, was accused of murdering three people suspected to be members of the opposition New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP).

Following his arraignment, Mr Doguwa, a member of the APC, who doubles as House Committee Chairman of Downstream Petroleum, accused the police and the Kano State Government of bias after he was arraigned as a principal actor in the fracas.

His petition led to a review of the police investigation of the incident by the police authorities.

The then-outgoing APC administration in the state dropped the police investigation and exonerated him.

However, the new governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, immediately upon taking office, said his government would prosecute Mr. Doguwa, whom he accused of killing over 15 people.

Mr Yusuf, a member of the NNPP, said the new administration would reopen and pursue the case to a logical conclusion.

“In the same vein, we shall investigate all cases of political violence that led to the loss of lives and properties across the state in the last eight years.

“The infamous case of Alhassan Ado Doguwa, who allegedly sponsored the maiming and murder of over 15 innocent souls in Tudun Wada Local Government, will be pursued to its logical conclusion,” the new governor said in his inaugural speech.

But Mr Doguwa sued the Attorney-General of the Federation, Inspector-General of Police, the Governor of Kano State, and the Attorney-General of Kano State over the alleged infringement of his rights to dignity, liberty, and freedom of movement.

In a certified true copy of a judgment of the Federal High Court dated December 5, 2023, released last week, in suit No: FHC/ABJ/ABJ/CS/714/2019, the judge, D.U. Okorowo, cleared Mr Doguwa of the murder allegation.