The Kaduna State Police Command has directed the immediate past governor of the state, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, to appear before its Criminal Investigation Department following allegations of criminal conspiracy, incitement of public disturbance, mischief, and causing grievous harm.
The summons, issued by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of criminal investigations, Zubairu Abdullahi, also included prominent figures within the Kaduna State chapter of the African Democratic Congress (ADC). Among those invited were the party’s North West Chairman, Ja’afaru Sani, alongside several other senior members of the ADC.
In the official invitation letter, the police stated that El-Rufai and the ADC leaders were needed to provide clarification concerning reports of conspiracy and incitement that were lodged against them. The letter read in part: “This Department is currently investigating the above-mentioned case involving the following members of your party. You are requested to come along with them to SCID to clarify allegations reported against them by the complainants on 8th September, 2025.”
The individuals named in the police notice include Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, Bashir Saidu, Ja’afaru Sani, Ubaidullah Mohammed (popularly known as Mikiya 30), Nasiru Maikano, Aminu Abita, and Ahmed Rufa’i Hussaini, also known as Mikiya.
Despite the invitation, leaders of the ADC in Kaduna claimed they had not received any formal notice from the police and said they only became aware of the summons after seeing it circulate across social media platforms.
Tensions heightened on Saturday when suspected thugs stormed the inauguration ceremony of the transition committee members of a coalition of opposition parties under the ADC banner in Kaduna State. Eyewitnesses reported that the attackers, armed with cutlasses, clubs, and stones, unleashed violence on participants, leaving properties destroyed and several individuals injured in the process.
The coalition in question includes politicians from a faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) opposed to the current state leadership, alongside members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Social Democratic Party (SDP), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Labour Party (LP), and the ADC.
Despite the violent disruption, the inauguration proceeded under tense circumstances. However, the Kaduna State Police Command placed responsibility for the incident on the former governor. According to the police spokesperson, DSP Mansir Hassan, El-Rufai failed to notify the security agencies about the meeting, despite earlier warnings urging political groups to inform the police before holding such gatherings.
What You Should Know
The summons, issued on September 4, 2025, escalates tensions between El-Rufai, now aligned with the ADC-led opposition coalition, and the Kaduna State government under Governor Uba Sani, his former protege.
The violent disruption of the August 30 coalition meeting, which aimed to inaugurate a transition committee, reflects deepening political rivalries, with the state accusing El-Rufai of destabilizing efforts.
El-Rufai, speaking at a September 4 press conference, condemned the police’s actions as unconstitutional, claiming a court order cited to block the meeting was not properly served. The ADC distanced itself from El-Rufai’s role in the event, calling it unauthorized.
A lawsuit by ADC chieftain Yusuf Shehu Bello against the police for restricting political gatherings is pending at the Federal High Court in Kaduna. Posts on X show polarized sentiments, with some viewing the summons as a witch-hunt, though these remain unverified.
The incident, coupled with the police sealing the ADC office on September 4, signals a volatile political climate in Kaduna ahead of the 2027 elections.
