The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has expressed grave concern over the increasing use of sponsored thugs and police personnel to attack, harass and intimidate opposition chieftains in Kaduna and Kebbi states.
The party noted that its members are being harassed and intimidated by law enforcement agencies, while violent criminal elements continue to attack communities across the country.
In a statement on Saturday by the spokesman of the ADC, Bolaji Abdullahi, the party cited recent attacks on a former Attorney General and Justice Minister, Abubakar Malami and a former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai.
The Whistler had earlier reported how Malami’s convoy was on Monday, attacked in Birnin Kebbi by armed thugs while he was on a condolence visit to a bereaved family.
El-Rufai and other ADC chieftains were similarly attacked by armed thugs in Kaduna during the week.
The party spokesman described the attacks as an assault, not just on individual politicians, but also, on Nigeria’s democracy itself.
The Kaduna police had followed up by sealing off ADC offices in Kaduna and summoning El-Rufai and other ADC leaders to submit themselves for interrogation.
But the party condemned the police summons, dismissing it as politically motivated and a ploy to further intimidate its leaders.
“The Nigeria Police Force has seemingly become a willing tool of political suppression for the federal government rather than a national security department, that is truly focused on rooting out bandits and other criminals across the country.
“At a time when terrorists and criminal gangs freely operate in large parts of the North, the Nigerian Police appears more interested in silencing opposition leaders than protecting citizens.
“After the recent attack in Kaduna, where the former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai and other ADC leaders were attacked; in Kebbi, the convoy of former Minister for Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN) was violently attacked in broad daylight around the GRA area of Birnin Kebbi—barely meters from a police outpost.
“Despite the seriousness of the attack, no arrests have been made, and the perpetrators remain at large.
“This growing trend is disturbing — and all Nigerians should take note. In Kaduna, the police reportedly looked away as thugs—armed with stones and cutlasses—attacked a peaceful ADC gathering. Instead of arresting those responsible, the police are now targeting the victims with summons.
“Every hour spent harassing El-Rufai and shutting down ADC offices is an hour not spent confronting the terrorists and criminals destroying lives across the North, and the urban bandits destroying the nation.
“To make matters worse, police authorities in Kaduna sealed off the ADC party offices ahead of a planned meeting of zonal leaders—a deliberate attempt to stifle our constitutional right to assemble and organise,” the party said.
The ADC noted that the actions of the police are not isolated, but that they represent a systematic attempt to criminalise opposition politics, especially in states where the ruling party feels threatened by the growing influence of the ADC.
The party called on the Federal Government and the Inspector General of Police to immediately withdraw the “politically motivated” summons issued to El-Rufai and other ADC leaders in Kaduna State.
Continuing, the party said, “These invitations are not about justice or security, they are about silencing dissent and should therefore be halted without delay.
“We demand that the police authorities unseal the ADC office in Kaduna State, and stop the illegal obstruction of lawful political activity. No democracy can thrive where opposition party structures are routinely shut down under vague pretexts.
“The Nigeria Police must also publish the names of those who filed complaints that triggered these recent investigations and summons. The public deserves to know who is behind these attacks on political freedom, and what interests they serve.
“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 these 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.
“Finally, we urge the Federal Government to redirect the focus of the Nigeria 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.”
