By Suleiman Anyalewechi
The former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has flayed the Nigeria Police Force over the invitation extended to the former Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai’s and seven other African Democratic Congress, ADC, leaders
Atiku, a prominent figure within the nascent opposition Coalition platform said the police summons represents a growing and disturbing pattern of political intimidation of opposition forces by the “fidgeting administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
The Source reports that the Kaduna State Police Command, had, on Thursday September 4, 2025, asked El-Rufai and seven other members of the ADC Coalition to appear before it on September 8, for questioning.
In the letter of invitation dated September 4, 2025, the Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP, in charge of the Criminal Investigation Department SCIID Uzainu Abdullahi , directed El-Rufai and the others including the Kaduna State Chairman of ADC to appear for interrogation over allegations bordering on public disturbance, mischief and causing of grievous bodily harm
Others summoned are Bashir Sa’idu , Jafaru Sani ,Ubaidulla Mohammed ( popular.as “30” , Nasiru Maikano , Aminu Abita ,and Rufai Hussaini,( otherwise known as ” Mikiya )
The invitation to El-Rufai and other co-accused came after the State Police authorities halted a planned party meeting and subsequently sealing the ADC Headquarters in the state.
However, in statement on Friday, September 5, 2025, Atiku said the Kaduna incident, as well as others in Katsina, Kebbi and other States of recent are clear signs of the country’s descent into authoritarianism .
“The summons of Malam Nasir El-Rufai and leaders of the ADC in Kaduna, the brazen attack on former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, and the violent disruption of the Katsina Elders Forum meeting on security reforms, are not isolated incidents .
“They signify a coordinated and dangerous assault on dissenting voices, civic freedom, and the very essence of pluralistic democracy.
“Power is transient. But history will harshly judge those who wield it against the people instead of in their service. Nigeria belongs to us, not just the ruling party ,or single individual” the former Vice President stated .
This is as he insisted that the criminalization of opposition forces and deployment of security agencies against political opponents have the dangerous potentials of threatening and derailing the country’s democratic process.
While expressing fears of the country relapsing into despotism and authoritarianism, Abubakar urged the citizenry to rise in defence of democracy.
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