The police in Kano have banned the Kano chapter of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) from embarking on a rally to call for the resignation of the governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, over an alleged $5 million bribe.
Mr Ganduje appeared in a series of video, receiving money in dollars alleged to be bribe amounting to about $5million.
The money was given by persons believed to be contractors to the state government.
The first set of at least 15 clips in possession of online-based Daily Nigerian was published on Sunday afternoon by the platform.
The two minutes video was recorded in 2017 in what Daily Nigerian described as a sting operation aimed at beaming a spotlight on the governor’s alleged penchant for contract racketeering.
The governor has debunked the video as “cloned” and threatened a sweeping lawsuit against its publisher.
In an audio announcement sent to PREMIUM TIMES on Tuesday evening, the Kano police spokesperson, Magaji Majia, said the police rejected the students’ request to conduct a rally on October 29 from Zoo Road to Kano government house.
The rally, according to Mr Majia, was to ask Mr Ganduje to step aside to allow for an independent investigation to ascertain the authenticity of the video clips.
“I wish to warn the group leader, Comrade Isa Abubakar, to caution his members to desist from embarking on this rally.
“However, we advise anyone who has a complaint or suggestion on this matter to approach the committee set up by the state House of Assembly in order to expand the investigation.
“But whoever caught violating these directives would face the wrath of the law,” Mr Majia said.
Journalists have earlier reported how the Kano State House of Assembly on Monday set up a seven-member committee to probe the videos. The committee was given one month to perform its task. It is not clear if the assembly, made up largely of the governor’s loyalists, would do a thorough job.
