The Kano State Executive Council has called for the immediate investigation and arrest of the immediate past governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, following what it described as ‘inciting and reckless’ comments about the security situation in the state.
The demand was raised after deliberations at the Council’s 34th Executive Meeting held on Thursday at the Government House, Kano, where members reviewed recent remarks credited to Ganduje and Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin.
The duo had claimed that the state was becoming increasingly prone to banditry and disclosed plans to recruit 12,000 personnel into a proposed religious police outfit known as Khairul Nas.
Briefing journalists on Friday, the Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Ibrahim Abdullahi Waiya, said the comments were dangerous and capable of undermining ongoing security interventions by both the state and federal authorities.
He said: ‘The remarks made by the former governor were not only inciting but also reckless,” Waiya said. “They are capable of undermining the collective efforts of the state government and the Federal Government in addressing security challenges.
‘The council expressed further concern that, less than 48 hours after the comments were made, suspected bandits infiltrated some border communities in the state—an incident it said “raised questions on whether the remarks were premeditated or linked to the attack.
‘We don’t know what Ganduje meant with those statements. So we are therefore calling for his arrest. He must be investigated because we cannot afford to watch him destabilise our peace in the state’.
The state government reaffirmed its appreciation to the Federal Government and security agencies for their continued support in combating insecurity. It also stressed that no individual or group would be allowed to ‘create an illegal militia under any guise’.
The council urged public office holders and political figures to avoid making statements that could incite unrest, assuring residents of its commitment to sustaining peace, law, and order across the state.
