The Kano State Government has demanded the immediate arrest of former Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje over alleged inciting remarks and an attempt to form a 12,000-member militia group under a proposed religious police outfit known as Khairul Nas, following deliberations at the state’s 34th Executive Council meeting.
The Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Ibrahim Waiya, accused both Ganduje and Deputy Senate President Barau I. Jibrin of making statements capable of undermining the state’s security efforts, alleging that their comments were reckless and potentially linked to recent attacks in border communities.
He stated: “The Council deliberated extensively over the recent inflammatory statements made by former Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and the Deputy Senate President, Barau I. Jibrin…” and added that “the utterances were inciting, reckless, and capable of undermining the security efforts of the Kano State Government…,” prompting calls for the “immediate investigation and arrest” of the former governor.
Ganduje dismissed the accusations as politically motivated, saying, “It is deeply unfortunate that rather than addressing the escalating insecurity ravaging the state, Governor Yusuf has chosen to chase shadows while searching for scapegoats to conceal his glaring failures,” while Barau, through his spokesman, challenged the government to produce evidence of any comments linked to insecurity, describing the claims as “false, reckless, and malicious.”