The Kaduna State Police Command has warned former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, to desist from frivolous and malicious allegations against any security agency.
El-Rufai had on Thursday accused the Kaduna State government of using the police as Governor Uba Sani’s “kidnapping gang” to arrest Ja’afar Sani, a former commissioner in his government.
“Our colleague and versatile former commissioner during the El-Rufai Administration – Mallam Jafaru Sani has been abducted in Kaduna by Uba Sani’s kidnapping gang claiming to be the police, this afternoon!…” El-Rufai had written on his X handle on Thursday.
However, in a statement on Friday, spokesperson of the Kaduna State command, Mansir Hassan, said there was no kidnapping gang within the Nigerian Police Force.
The statement read: “The attention of the Kaduna State Police Command has been drawn to a statement credited to former governor of the State, Malam Nasir El Rufai, on his X handle, wherein he alleged that one of his former Commissioner Malam Jafaru Sani, was abducted by what he referred to Uba Sani’s ‘kidnapping gang’ which he claimed to be the police.
“The former governor further stated that Jafaru was remanded in prison custody by a magistrate without any police First Information Report or charges by the State Ministry of Justice.
“To put the records straight, there is no kidnapping gang within the Nigerian Police Force.
“The Nigerian Police as an institution is created by the 1999 Constitution and the Police Act. These two statutes mandate the Police to maintain law and order”.
Hassan said in the discharge of its constitutional duty, have the legal right to arrest and investigate whoever is suspected to have committed an offence.
“Individuals, corporate organisations and government etc, have the constitutional right to lodge a formal complaint to police and the police have a mandate to investigate such allegations and when it’s believed that an offence has been committed such matter be prosecuted or referred to court,” the statement added.
The statement urged the members of the public, especially individuals who have held positions of authority, to exercise caution and desist from frivolous and malicious allegations against any security agency.
It further urged individuals to always verify allegations before making any public statements.
“Making unverified allegations against security agencies not only mislead the public but also have the potential of undermining the law enforcement agencies.
“Citizens are encouraged to seek legal redress if they feel aggrieved, rather than resort to inflammatory comments that will heat up the polity”, the statement said.
