A fresh political storm is brewing in Kaduna as the state government and former governor, Nasir El-Rufai, exchange fierce accusations over alleged plots to undermine peace and security.
On Tuesday, Kaduna’s Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Dr. Suleiman Shuaibu (SAN), accused El-Rufai of “plotting to destabilise the state and drag it back to its dark and violent past for political gain.”
In a strongly worded statement, the government warned that it would not sit idly by while a “discredited former leader, who left the state in ruins,” attempts to incite ethno-religious tension, insecurity, and economic stagnation.
“Mallam Nasir El-Rufai has made it glaringly obvious that he cannot stomach the progress Kaduna is making under the administration of Governor Uba Sani.
In just two years, Kaduna has transitioned from a state on the brink of collapse to a beacon of hope, unity, and development,” the statement read.
The government accused El-Rufai of exploiting old wounds and spreading “dangerous lies designed to incite violence and discord.” It also linked his alleged desperation to recent electoral defeats in the August 16, 2025 bye-elections, where his candidates lost to the ruling APC.
According to the commissioner, El-Rufai responded by convening an “illegal and chaotic” political gathering on August 30, which descended into violence.
The government further condemned El-Rufai’s televised remarks on Channels TV, where he accused federal and state authorities of “bribing bandits.” Officials described the claim as a “malicious lie” aimed at undermining security efforts and legitimising criminality.
“Let there be no doubt: the Kaduna State Government has the capacity, the resolve, and the legal backing to deal decisively with anyone seeking to destabilise the state. Mallam Nasir El-Rufai’s time is over. Kaduna belongs to the future, not the ruins of the past,” the statement concluded.
But El-Rufai fired back with a lengthy rebuttal on his social media handles, dismissing the allegations as “predictable hot air” from both the Kaduna State Government and the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
He doubled down on his earlier claims, insisting that both the state and federal governments were “greasing the palms of non-state actors” in Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto, Niger, and Kebbi states.
“The ONSA cannot deny the countless videos and audios of traditional rulers, community leaders, and clerics condemning payments made by government officials to bandits. Citizens know the truth,” El-Rufai stated.
He accused the ONSA of abandoning discreet intelligence coordination for “lousy protocol” and public relations, while failing to support the military and security agencies with needed resources.
Turning his fire on the Kaduna government, El-Rufai alleged that officials were attempting to suppress opposition voices by disrupting a meeting of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
“They should focus on solving insecurity, not silencing dissent. The misery of our people should not be turned into an avenue for false glories and diversion of public funds,” he said.
The war of words marks one of the most heated political confrontations between Kaduna’s past and present leadership, with implications for both security and governance in the state.
