Kaduna State Government on Tuesday accused former governor Nasir El-Rufai of plotting to incite violence and destabilise the state for political purposes, a claim the former leader swiftly rejected, firing back with fresh allegations against both state and federal authorities.
In a statement, the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Dr. Suleiman Shuaibu (SAN), alleged that El-Rufai was seeking to “drag the state back to its dark and violent past” after suffering electoral setbacks in the August 16 bye-elections, which the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) won.
“Mallam Nasir El-Rufai has made it glaringly obvious that he cannot stomach the progress Kaduna is making under Governor Uba Sani,” the statement read, warning that the state would not allow “a discredited former leader, who left the state in ruins, to ignite chaos and plunge Kaduna into insecurity and stagnation.”
The government also condemned El-Rufai’s remarks in a recent television interview, where he alleged that federal and state authorities were bribing bandits. Officials described his claims as “malicious lies designed to undermine security efforts, incite public anger, and legitimise criminality.”
El-Rufai, in a lengthy response posted on his social media pages, dismissed the accusations as “predictable hot air” and reiterated his claims that the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and Kaduna government were funnelling money to non-state actors in northern states.
He accused the ONSA of politicising security and failing to manage terrorism and banditry effectively, while insisting that his comments reflected the frustrations of communities devastated by insecurity. “The constitutional duty of government is to better support security agencies with resources, not mollycoddle bandits,” he said.
The former governor also criticised Kaduna authorities for allegedly disrupting a political meeting of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), arguing that citizens have the constitutional right to assemble and express alternative political views.
The Kaduna government, however, maintained that it would act decisively within the law to protect peace and stability. “Let there be no doubt, the Kaduna State Government has the capacity, the resolve, and the legal backing to deal decisively with any individual or group that seeks to destabilise the state. Mallam Nasir El-Rufai’s time is over,” the statement said.
The escalating war of words highlights growing political tension in Kaduna, where Governor Uba Sani has been in office for two years and faces mounting scrutiny over his administration’s handling of security and governance.
