Kaduna accuses El-Rufai of destabilisation, vows crackdown

The Kaduna State Government has accused former Governor Nasir El-Rufai of attempting to incite violence and destabilise the state, warning that it will not hesitate to take decisive action against him or his allies.

In a statement signed by the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Dr. Suleiman Shuaibu, the government alleged that El-Rufai was resorting to “provocation and manipulation” after his political loyalists suffered defeat in the August 16 by-elections.

“The people of Kaduna have endured enough trauma, bloodshed, and division. This government will not allow a discredited former leader, who left the state in ruins, to drag us back into chaos,” the statement read.

Shuaibu claimed that El-Rufai convened an “illegal and chaotic” political meeting on August 30, which spiralled into violence, including gunshots that endangered lives.

He dismissed El-Rufai’s allegation that the government sponsored thugs to disrupt the event, asking: “Why would a governor who just won the people’s mandate through credible elections need to disrupt a gathering of losers?”

The government also faulted El-Rufai’s appearance on Channels Television, where he accused authorities of bribing bandits to secure peace.

According to Shuaibu, those remarks were “malicious lies designed to undermine security efforts and embolden criminals,” noting that the Office of the National Security Adviser had already declared the claims false.

Highlighting recent gains under Governor Uba Sani, the statement cited improved security in Birnin Gwari, Giwa, Kajuru, Kauru, Kachia, and Igabi, where several bandit leaders and Ansaru commanders had been neutralised.

“For a former governor to deny these achievements, and in doing so insult the memory of fallen officers, is shameful and amounts to sabotage,” Shuaibu said.

The statement contrasted El-Rufai’s alleged “legacy of division and fear” with Governor Uba Sani’s approach of inclusion, dialogue, and development, pointing to progress in education, healthcare, infrastructure, and security.

“El-Rufai thrives in chaos and is allergic to progress he did not initiate. Stripped of relevance, he now seeks to make Kaduna ungovernable once more. This administration will not allow it,” the commissioner warned.

The government urged residents to resist attempts to rekindle ethno-religious conflict, assuring that security agencies were on high alert.

“Kaduna has the capacity, the resolve, and the legal authority to deal decisively with anyone who threatens its peace.

The stability of this state is non-negotiable, and those who seek to destabilise it—be it El-Rufai or his accomplices—will be held accountable,” the statement concluded.