An Abuja High Court has given the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) the green light to continue its investigation into alleged mismanagement of Kano State scholarship funds.
The case stemmed from a petition alleging financial impropriety in the management of the state’s Scholarship Fund. Following the petition, the ICPC invited officials of the Ministry of Higher Education and the Scholarship Board to present relevant documents and explain their roles.
Rather than comply, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Hadi Bala, along with other officials, filed a suit (No. CV/2857/2025) at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
They claimed the Commission’s invitations infringed on their fundamental rights and sought a court order restraining the ICPC.
Delivering judgment, Justice Josephine Obanor dismissed the suit for lacking merit. She held that the ICPC’s invitation letters did not amount to a violation of rights.
The court further ruled that officials of the Scholarship Board ought to have been properly joined in the case, while the Attorney-General of the Federation was wrongly listed as a party and therefore struck out.
Justice Obanor reaffirmed that the ICPC cannot be stopped from carrying out its statutory duty of investigating corruption and financial misconduct.
Reacting to the judgment, ICPC spokesperson Demola Bakare described the ruling as “a major victory for the fight against corruption.”
He added that the Commission remains committed to transparency, accountability, and upholding the rule of law in Nigeria’s public sector.
PR: Adamu Yusuf
