“I Feel Ashamed When I Remember Ribadu Was Once My Friend” – El-Rufai

By Ayodele Oni

National Security Adviser, (NSA), to the President, Nuhu Ribadu, has been accused of overstepping his line of duties, following his, alleged, acquired power to order any security agency to arrest anybody.

Former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, who made this allegation, pointed out that Ribadu’s duty as NSA is just advisory but insisted that Ribadu has now extended it to ordering the arrest of anybody without proper investigation.

El-Rufai made the allegation during a chat with DCL Hausa, where he claimed the NSA oversteps his constitutional responsibilities.

“Nuhu Ribadu just picks his phone and calls any security outfit to arrest anybody without any form of investigation,” he alleged.

The former governor was, however, quick to distance President Bola Tinubu from the claims. “I am not saying President Tinubu makes the call,” El-Rufai stated.

According to him, the NSA’s role is strictly advisory. “It is not the NSA’s job to call EFCC, directing them to arrest this person or that. His job is to advise the President on security issues.

“If he sees a person that is a threat to security, his job is to draw the attention of the President, and he would order an investigation,” he said.

El-Rufai further alleged that Ribadu interferes in Judicial proceedings by influencing bail decisions.

He claimed the NSA pressurises Judges not to grant bail to suspects who, according to him, were not properly investigated in the first place.

“I feel ashamed when I remember he was once my friend,” El-Rufai said.

“Nobody is as wicked as Nuhu Ribadu in Tinubu’s administration,” he added.

The former governor also referenced the reported arrest of former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Bashir Jamoh, by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) in Kaduna State.

“He is lying, they have not stopped. Even last week, they arrested Bashir Jamoh. What did he do?” El-Rufai queried.

He alleged that Jamoh remains in detention, contrary to constitutional provisions requiring that any arrested person be charged to court within 48 hours.