By Chuks Oyema-Aziken
The National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu has demanded that the Kano State Deputy Governor, Comrade Aminu Abdussalam, retract allegations that he is using his office as NSA to kill the people of Kano State and maim their properties.
The Deputy Governor in an interview in Kano said the former Governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, is not happy with the peace and understanding being enjoyed in the State and is using the office of the National Security Adviser to deploy security personnel to subvert the will of Kano people and to bring something the people don’t like.
He also said the National Security Adviser has provided two planes to bring the former Emir to Kano.
Ribadu in a letter through his solicitors, Aliyu and Musa (SAN) said the false accusations against their client, portraying his office as an appendage of a political party and a willing tool to cause chaos in Kano is false and done with the intention of damaging his hard-earned reputation in the eyes of the right-thinking members of the society and indeed it has succeeded in doing so.
The letter signed by Sunusi Musa SAN said “For the avoidance of doubt, our client is not in any way using his office for any political purpose. Our client was also not responsible for providing the plane that brought His Highness, Emir Aminu Ado Bayero to Kano.
“You have without any justification ridiculed the exalted office of the National Security Adviser, which our client occupies, by portraying it as a ready tool to be used by politicians to achieve political goals. You have also ridiculed the personality of our client who has built a reputation as a principled and honest citizen in both his public and private life.
“Our client was the pioneer Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the commission created to counter corruption and fraud, and he built it to become the most effective anti-graft agency in the country. It will interest you to know that the EFCC recorded over 200 criminal convictions under our client’s leadership.
“Our client was a career police officer who was known for his integrity and rose through the ranks to retire as Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG). His unblemished track record earned him appointments into the board of the African Union (AU) Advisory Board on Anti-Corruption Matters, and of the Advisory Board of the Friends of the World Bank/UNODC Initiative on Stolen Asset Recovery among others, before his eventual appointment as National Security Adviser by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“In all the places he has served, our client has never been accused of any wrongdoing. Given this illustrious background, it is inconceivable that someone would harbour the thought that our client would descend his exalted office so low as to interfere in the local tussle of the Kano Emirate.
“The wide coverage you gave your interview has caused serious embarrassment to our client and his family. Since the publication, our client has been receiving barrage of telephone calls both within and outside Nigeria from friends and associates who felt disappointed in him because of the false allegation owing to the fact that it came from a person occupying the office of Deputy Governor of Kano State.
“Our client and his office take your allegations seriously and by this letter, our client is demanding that you provide irrefutable evidence to substantiate your claims. If you have no proof, our client demands you to within 24 hours:
i. retract the libellous allegation in a similar manner you made it as well as give it wide media circulation; and
ii. issue a public apology in five National dailies with wide national coverage and on popular online platforms.
“Kindly be advised that your failure to comply with this modest demand will compel our client to seek legal redress before the appropriate forum, irrespective of the immunity status you currently enjoy by virtue of your position as the Deputy Governor of Kano State.
“This Constitutional immunity which probably fuelled your audacity to make the reckless statement you made against the person of the National Security Adviser is neither absolute nor eternal.”
