Nigeria, Aug. 31 -- Anti-corruption advocates have condemned a ruling by a judge of the Kano State High Court in Bichi, Musa Ahmad, accusing him of shielding a senior state government official from investigation in a multi-billion-naira scandal.

On 18 August, the judge restrained the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from investigating Abdullahi Rogo, Director-General of Protocol to Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf.

Apart from running counter to judicial precedents, Mr Ahmad's ruling potentially undermines an earlier decision of the Federal High Court in Kano ordering the forfeiture of some of the proceeds of the alleged corrupt activities.

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