From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
A Civil Society Organization (CSO) under the auspices of Transparency and Accountability Network (TAN) has petitioned the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) to put an eye on the immediate past governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-rufai, who has become a serious security threat in the State.
The group’s Coordinator, Comrade Michael Briggs, who disclosed the petition in a statement in Abuja, urged the security adviser to act swiftly and decisively, warning that the fragile peace in the state was currently under threat.
TAN maintained that activities of El-Rufai’s must be investigated with the urgency it deserved.
The petition reads in part: “We stand firmly against any attempt to plunge Kaduna back into the abyss of turmoil. We call on the National Security Adviser (NSA) to act swiftly and decisively.
“The allegations surrounding El-Rufai’s activities must be investigated with the urgency of a firefighter rushing to extinguish a blaze before it consumes everything in its path. The seeds of discord must be uprooted before they take root and spread their toxic vines across the state.
“The stability in Kaduna reflects the stability not just in the North West but across the entire country.
We cannot risk undermining the trust of investors who are starting to come back to the state.
“The fledgling investments in Kaduna, nurtured by the return of confidence, are the tender shoots of economic growth. The state’s resurgence as a hub of commerce and industry must be sustained.
“TAN raises its voice in profound concern over the dark clouds gathering over Kaduna State. The fragile peace that has begun to take root in the state is under threat, and we cannot afford to stand idly by as shadows of chaos loom on the horizon.
“Recent developments involving former Governor Nasir El-Rufai and some state actors have sparked alarm bells across the nation. Reliable sources indicate that El-Rufai has journeyed to Egypt, ostensibly to convene with political allies.
“However, the whispers carried on the wind suggest a far more sinister agenda: to allegedly fan the embers of discord and reignite the flames of political discord in the state. This is not merely a rumour; it further reinforces the echo of his recent comments, as he advised the opposition to mobilise against his party, the ruling APC, ahead of 2027.
“Kaduna State, a land once vibrant with the promise of unity and progress, has been scarred by the relentless storms of violence and division. The people of Kaduna have endured enough, enough bloodshed, enough tears, and enough despair.
“The relative calm that now blankets the state is like a delicate sapling, struggling to grow in soil still poisoned by the remnants of conflict. We cannot allow this sapling to be uprooted by the reckless hands of those who seek to exploit chaos for their own ends.”