Alhassan Ado Doguwa

By Maduabuchi Nmeribeh/Kano

Former Majority Leader of House of Representatives, Hon. Alhassan Ado Doguwa has been declared innocent by a Federal High court sitting in Abuja over allegations of murder slammed on him by Kano state government.

The Court also ordered Kano state government to pay the sum of N25 million to Ado Doguwa as damages.

Doguwa,  the Chairman, House  Committee on Downstream Petroleum, is representing Doguwa/Tudun Wada Federal Constituency in Kano state.

His ambition to emerge as the Speaker of the House of Representatives was fatly scuttled by allegations of murder and political violence during the 2023 general elections orchestrated  by the ruling New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) in Kano state.

The NNPP government dragged him to court with huge allegations of murder

But the Court has declared that Doguwa was wrongly accused, and awarded N25 million as damages against the  Kano State Government and the police.

Recall that Doguwa was arrested by the police in Kano and arraigned in Court over the murder case.

He was later released on bail at the orders of another court, after which he applied for the review of police investigations that led to his sudden arrest, arraignment and detention.

He was to be exonerated by the immediate-past All Progressive Congress (APC) government under the watch of the current National Chairman of APC, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.

The alleged murder case was, however, reopened the the current NNPP-led administration in the state,  accusing Doguwa  of killing over 15 people, mostly NNPP members.

Howver, 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 alleged infringement of his rights to dignity, liberty, and freedom of movement.

In a certified true copy of a judgement of the Federal High Court dated 5 December 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.