Former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, yesterday, decried the alleged police order, stopping a planned meeting of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) leaders in the state, insisting the action violated constitutional provisions.
The reported disruption followed violent events at an opposition gathering last Saturday, during which suspected thugs stormed the inauguration of a transition committee in Kaduna, targeting leaders from a coalition including the ADC, PDP, SDP, NNPP, and LP.
The attackers reportedly injured several participants and destroyed property, while police presence drew criticism for inaction.
El-Rufai condemned the violence, describing it as a “dangerous descent into lawlessness,” and affirmed that lawful political assembly should proceed without undue interference.
Speaking at a press conference at his Kaduna residence yesterday, the ex-governor explained that the meeting was for the ADC North-West leadership to commiserate with members over last weekend’s assault.
He claimed: “The plan was that the ADC leadership in the North-West are in Kaduna to commiserate with us over the incident of Saturday. And we were going to have that visit in our office.
“The police commissioner wrote to say that we can’t hold it in the state.”
Speaking further, he accused the police of overreaching their powers, claiming that the CP obtained a court injunction stopping the meeting without properly serving it on the affected persons.
“He knows what he’s writing violates the Constitution. This morning, he invited the National Vice Chairman, North-West, and waved a piece of paper claiming they had obtained a court order stopping us from having that meeting. We have not seen the court order.”
“As responsible leaders of our community, we felt that if a law enforcement officer tells us he has an injunction, we will abide by it. But we are still waiting for it to be served. We want to see that injunction, we want to see the grounds, and of course, we will challenge whatever grounds to the Supreme Court,” El-Rufai declared.
Efforts to reach the Kaduna Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Mansir Hassan, for comments were unsuccessful, as calls and messages to his mobile line were neither answered nor returned.
HOWEVER, the Northern Youths Frontiers (NYF) has faulted El-Rufai over what it described as reckless and irresponsible security remarks.
The group further warned that such “unguarded rhetoric” could weaken public confidence, embolden criminals, and trivialise the suffering of victims.
In a statement yesterday by its North-West Zonal Coordinator, Saminu Tukur, the NYF accused El-Rufai of attempting to smear the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and belittle the sacrifices of the nation’s security forces.
He described the former governor’s remarks as “deeply insensitive and unbecoming of a supposed statesman,” especially at a time when security forces were making sacrifices, including paying the supreme price in the line of duty.
The statement read in part: “The NYF views it as shameful that a man who had eight years steering the affairs of Kaduna, yet left behind a legacy riddled with insecurity, hardship, and division, now seeks to present himself as a saint by mocking the current efforts to restore peace.
“El-Rufai’s unguarded comments are a slap in the face to the gallant men and women of our armed forces who risk their lives daily to tackle insecurity across the North.
“We find these comments deeply insensitive and unbecoming of a supposedly statesman who once held the mantle of leadership in one of the affected states. At a time when security forces are making sacrifices, including paying the supreme price in the line of duty, it is utterly disheartening to make such statements that belittle their efforts.
“El-Rufai’s gimmick to score political points aimed to undermine the credibility of ongoing counter-terrorism operations, ridicule the sacrifices, and sow seeds of doubt in the minds of Nigerians, remains totally reprehensible.”
