EL-Rufai, police clash over ex-commissioner’s arrest

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has warned former Kaduna State governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai to guard his utterances, saying that, contrary to his claim, there is no kidnapping gang within the NPF.

The Kaduna Command of the NPF was reacting to El-Rufai’s post on his verified X handle, where he alleged that, one of his former Commissioners, Malam Jafaru Sani, was abducted by “Uba Sani’s kidnapping gang,” claiming to be Police.

In a statement signed by Kaduna Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Mansir Hassan  it said, the Police have the legal, legitimate and constitutional right to arrest and investigate whoever is alleged or suspected to have committed an offence.

According to the statement, “The attention of the Kaduna State Police Command has been drawn to a statement credited to  former Governor of the State, Malam Nasir El Rufai, on his X handle, wherein he alleged that one of his former Commissioner Malam Jafaru Sani, was abducted by what he referred to as “Uba Sani’s kidnapping gang,’’ which he claimed to be the police.

“The former Governor further stated that Jafaru was remanded in prison custody by a magistrate without any police First Information Report or charges by the State Ministry of Justice.

“To put the records straight, there is no kidnapping gang within the Nigerian Police Force. The Nigerian Police as an institution, is created by the 1999 Constitution. The statutes mandate the Police to maintain law and order.

“In the discharge of this constitutional duty, the police have the legal, legitimate and constitutional right to arrest and investigate whoever is alleged or suspected to have committed an offence.

“Individuals, corporate organisations and government etc, Have the right to lodge a formal complaint to police and the police have the mandate to investigate such allegations and when it’s believed that an offence has been committed such matter be prosecuted or referred to court.

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“The Command urges the members of public, especially individuals who have held positions of authority, to exercise caution and desist from frivolous and malicious allegations against any security agency.

“We urge individuals to always verify allegations before making any public statements. Making unverified allegations against security agencies not only mislead the public but also have the potential of undermining the law enforcement agencies.

“Citizens are encouraged to seek legal redress if they feel aggrieved, rather than resort to inflammatory comments that will heat up the polity,” the statement read.

Meanwhile, the Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Abdullahi Ata, has said the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the government of President Bola Tinubu will remain focused on keeping to the promises of the party, despite the theatrics by El-Rufai.

The minister said El-Rufai’s anger with the ruling party stems from his failure to secure a ministerial position in the Tinubu administration, averring that El-Rufai was disqualified because he failed security screening.

According to Ata, El-Rufai’s recent attack on the Tinubu administration, including his decamping to the SDP, is the “dance of a sinking politician.”

Ata said: “His tenure as the minister of the FCT under President Olusegun Obasanjo was marked by contentious policies and an abrasive leadership style.

“This trend continued throughout his political journey, from his days in the opposition during the formative years of the APC to his tenure as a two-term governor of Kaduna State.

“It is, therefore, not surprising that in the present dispensation, while President Tinubu remains focused on tackling the multi-faceted challenges facing Nigeria, El-Rufai has chosen to embark on yet another round of political mischief.”

The minister, in a statement by his media aide, Seyi Olorunsola, said it was imperative for him to set the record straight and address El-Rufai’s theatrics, following his (El-Rufai’s) vitriolic outbursts and unwarranted attacks on the leadership of the APC and the Tinubu administration.

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Ata pointed out that, during his reign as governor, El-Rufai presided over an era of unprecedented insecurity, where ethnic and sectarian violence reached alarming levels.

“Under his watch, Kaduna recorded some of the highest fatalities linked to communal conflicts and banditry activities.

“His leadership style was often criticised as divisive, with policies that alienated minority groups and exacerbated communal tensions in the state.

“El-Rufai’s latest political outburst stems from his personal disappointment over his failure to secure a ministerial position in the current administration.

“Feeling entitled to a role in President Tinubu’s government, he was unable to pass the necessary security clearance, leading to his rejection by the Senate. Since then, he has carried himself like a man scorned, unleashing a barrage of unfounded criticisms and engaging in political brinkmanship.

“His recent defection from the APC to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) is nothing more than an act of desperation—an attempt to remain relevant in Nigeria’s political discourse. However, this move was long anticipated, given his history of political opportunism and self-serving maneuvers,” he said.

The minister said the administration remains steadfast in its commitment to addressing Nigeria’s critical challenges, from economic reforms to infrastructural development and national security.

Ata added: “While detractors like El-Rufai seek to distract and derail progress, the government and its supporters remain undeterred.

“His political career, which has been marked by opportunism and a penchant for controversy, is practically over, and his recent actions are nothing more than the last gasps of a politician grasping at straws.”

El-Rufai storms SDP headquarters vows to position party for future

Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has promised to position the Social Democratic Party (SDP) for the future.

El-Rufai also disclosed his readiness to abide by the rule guiding the SDP.

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He said this during his official visit to the national headquarters of SDP in Abuja where he held a meeting with the SDP National Working Committee (NWC).

According to a top member of SDP who was part of the meeting and pleaded anonymity, El-Rufai also made it known that he will use his influence and contact to grow the party.

He quoted El-Rufai to have said that: “Many of my followers had moved and joined SDP before me. I believe that APC is not what we intended it to be. I believe that I need to look for another party that I can continue in my political activities and further contribute to national development.

“I am ready to join forces with other opposition parties across, work with them to see how the nation can move forward.I promised to abide with the rules of the party.”

The SDP has, however, expressed panic over what it described as a plan to suppress party members in order to instill fear in the political circle.

The development, the party  said, is aimed at preventing further defection to the opposition party by using intimidation tactics.

A statement issued by the National publicity Secretary, Rufus Aiyenigba, alleged that the persecution will commence with El-Rufai.

Aiyenigba said: “The Social Democratic Party (SDP) wishes to bring to the attention of all Nigerians that we have been informed about plans to suppress opposition figures in order to instill fear in political circles.

“The SDP has received reliable information indicating that the All Progressives Congress (APC) is concerned about the mounting momentum of our party. In response, the APC has decided to leverage its governmental control to fabricate criminal charges against our members.

“Our sources reveal that the persecution will commence with one of our prominent leaders, Malam Nasir El-Rufai. The government is planning to file multiple charges against him in Abuja and Kaduna imminently. In preparation for this, we have also learned that the federal government has instructed its agencies to prevent Malam Nasir El-Rufai from leaving the country.”

EL-Rufai, police clash over ex-commissioner’s arrest

The Nation

My wife is a pastor, can’t be Bigot, Tinubu tells Catholic bishops

President Bola Tinubu has assured the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) that he harbours no religious bias and that his administration is focused on national development beyond religious divisions.

Tinubu, in a meeting with the Catholic bishops on Friday in Abuja, reaffirmed his commitment to national unity and development.

The president said that poverty affects all Nigerians regardless of religious affiliation, adding that his administration’s economic reforms including the removal of fuel subsidy were necessary to build a resilient nation and secure the future of the younger generations.

Tinubu’s remarks came less than 24 hours after he rebuked the clerics over concerns they raised regarding worsening insecurity and youth employment, among others, in the country.

He stressed that security agencies were actively curtailing insecurity. He noted that poverty transcends religious lines and called for unity in addressing the country’s challenges.

“This insecurity, everyone is affected, Christians, Muslims alike. I have no religious bias; I won’t be a bigot. My wife is a pastor of Redeemed Christian Church. But we have to think of our country; this country must develop and must stand beyond religious bigotry. And I’m here open to you, ready to listen.

“We’ve been together for some time. We have an open-door policy. I will not shut my door,” said the president.

Tinubu added that he understands what Nigerians are going through, saying “Yes, removing the fuel subsidy was hard, tough for me, but it’s a hard choice that Nigeria must face. We are not going to bankrupt our country.

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“We were spending the investment of the future of our children yet unborn; We were spending their rights, and poverty has no religious basis. There’s no religious colouration, no identity. It affects all, and we must fight it together.”

He, however, noted that “There is hope; people are coming in to invest. They are saying good things about Nigeria. I am very proud of that. What seems to be a very difficult beginning is now showing us hope. And we are not half-time yet. I’m happy to see this period alive and healthy, and I am thankful to all of you for your prayers.”

Most Reverend Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, the Archbishop of Owerri and the CBCN President, who led the delegation of 20 Bishops from across the country, said they were at the State House to congratulate President Tinubu on his victory, having not had the opportunity last year, and to commend him for his efforts to reposition the country and share some concerns.

“Your government’s policy mantra is anchored on the principles of Renewed Hope. In this regard, we are pleased to inform you that the Holy Father, Pope Francis, has declared this year as the year of hope, the Jubilee Year of Hope, a theme we adopted for our conference. We came with the final fruits of our deliberations and will share them with you.”

He said the removal of fuel subsidies had undoubtedly affected the people and commended the tax reform initiative, which he believed would “generate, in the long run, more resources for advancing the common good.”

He acknowledged the efforts of security agencies to curtail insecurity in the land. Still, he urged for more concerted efforts to “rekindle hope and inspire confidence in the hearts of our people.”

Speaking on the recent closure of schools in the North by governors due to the ongoing Ramadan fast, the bishops called for a well-defined vision of religion as a force for moral integrity and patriotic unity without necessarily impinging on individuals’ fundamental rights.

According to them, “efforts should be made to ensure that religious practice in Nigeria fosters unity rather than division.”

On religious pilgrimages, the body said that the government should hands-off sponsorship to curtail waste and corruption.

“The government should allow religious groups to take full responsibility for organising pilgrimages. In their current structure, the national and state pilgrims’ boards serve neither their adherents nor the broader interest of the nation. You’re undoubtedly aware of the instances of corruption that have led to the removal of some board executives to ensure greater efficiency and accountability.

“We would propose that public funds be redirected towards pressing national needs,” the CBCN president said.

The CBCN’s earlier communique, “The Jubilee Year of Hope: A Light for a New Nigeria,” had called on northern governors to withdraw orders closing schools during the Ramadan period.

Part of the communique reads, “We demand that those governments that ordered the closure of all schools in some parts of the country, withdraw such order in the light of the rights of the children to education and the multi-religious nature of our society We, as Church, promote integral education, health care and agriculture for individual and national development, and we require the enabling environment to play these roles among others.”

My wife is a pastor, can’t be Bigot, Tinubu tells Catholic bishops

Customs seize 1,149 jerry cans of petrol in Taraba

The Nigerian Customs Service has intercepted 1,149 jerry cans, each containing 30 litres of petroleum products, at a border town in Sardauna Local Government Area of Taraba State.

The petrol, valued at N33.7 million, was intercepted by the Operation Whirlwind of the Customs Service under the Adamawa/Taraba Command at Kan-Iyaka, a border town between Nigeria and Cameroon Republic in Sardauna Local Government Area of the state.

The Customs operatives also arrested those behind the attempt to smuggle the petroleum product from Nigeria to Cameroon Republic.

Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, the Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Customs, while briefing journalists at the Customs House in Jalingo on Friday, said the interception was made possible due to the hard work and commitment of the officers of Operation Whirlwind and other security operatives in preventing smuggling across Nigerian borders.

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He expressed satisfaction with the vigilance and courage exhibited by the officers while carrying out the mission that led to the interception of the petrol products.

The Comptroller-General further stated that in recent weeks, Customs had witnessed a troubling increase in petroleum smuggling activities across the North-East zone frontier, particularly along the Adamawa and Taraba corridors.

He stressed that targeted operations in those areas had revealed strategic transit points for cross-border petroleum diversion.

He said the activities of petrol smugglers were creating artificial scarcity of the product and distorting supply chains in vulnerable communities, adding that such activities also funded enterprises that undermined regional security.

Customs seize 1,149 jerry cans of petrol in Taraba