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.

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

The opposition Coalition,  the African Democratic Congress, ADC, on Friday, September 5, 2025, expressed serious concern over the recent clampdown on its leaders across the country.

The party’s outcry is coming against the backdrop of the Kaduna Police Command’s summon of former Governor of Kaduna State  Malam Nasir El-Rufai and seven other leaders for questioning over allegations bordering on breach of public peace, and infliction of grievous bodily harm.

A letter  from the Deputy Commissioner of Police DCP in-charge of Criminal Investigation Department, SCIID, Uzainu Abdullahi  dated September 4,2025, directed El-Rufai and others to report to the  SCIID at the State headquarters on September 8 ,for interrogation.

Before the summon, the State authorities had earlier sealed the Kaduna State headquarters of the ADC ,after halting a planned meeting by stakeholders.

The Kaduna incident came just three days after suspected hired thugs attacked  and violently disrupted the convoy of the immediate past Attorney General and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami in Kebbi State.

The violent incident,which resulted in injuries to several people and smashing of vehicles’ windshields, also, occurred almost at the same time a meeting of the Katsina Elders Forum was violently dispersed by some persons suspected to be hirelings of the Government.

In a statement by Bolaji Abdullahi, ADC’s spokesperson, on Friday, the Party,  while condemning the spate of harassment and intimidation of its leaders and members, cautioned the Nigeria Police against being used in implementing orchestrated plots to emasculate opposition elements across the country.

The party advised the police and other security agencies to focus their efforts and energies on how to combat  the growing insecurity in parts of the country, rather than dissipating energy  on enforcement of clearly politically motivated actions against the opposition.

While expressing deep concern over recent efforts by the President Bola Tinubu-led administration to harass, intimidate and emasculate opposition voices, particularly, ADC leaders , the party warned that such unnecessary crackdown may have some serious and unintended consequences for the country’s democratic process.

According to ADC, it is disheartening to note that while the All Progressive Congress APC-led administration is busy unleashing the Police and other Security Agencies on the ADC leaders, bandits and other criminal elements undermining the country’s security are roaming unchallenged.

The ADC , especially, flayed the summon of El-Rufai and other leaders of the party by the Kaduna State Police Command as an unmitigated assault not just on the individuals concerned, but also the country’s democratic principles.

It expressed deep shock and surprise that the Nigeria Police is fast shedding its name to adorn the gab of an institution that has willingly made itself a ready tool in the hands of the APC-led Federal Government to intimidate and harass opposition  elements.

“We further demand that security agencies arrest and prosecute those responsible for the attack on Abubakar Malami’s convoy in Kebbi state ,as well as the violent thugs who disrupted our stakeholders meeting in Kaduna.

“The failure to bring these perpetrators to justice only emboldens further violence.

“In addition, we call for an internal disciplinary process within the police to investigate officers who were present during the incidents but failed to act .

“Those who stood by and allowed political violence to occur should not be wearing the uniform of the Nigerian state.

“We urge the Federal Government to redirect the focus of the Nigerian Police toward their primary duty –protecting the lives and property of all Nigerians, instead of being used as a tool of political manipulation.

“Our party will stand with our leaders and members. We will not be intimidated” part of the ADC statement reads .