‘No kidnapping gang in NPF’ — police reply el-Rufai over arrest of ex-Kaduna commissioner

The police command in Kaduna has responded to a comment by Nasir el-Rufai, the former governor of the state, that a “kidnapping gang” in the police “abducted” an ex-commissioner under his administration.

On Thursday, el-Rufai alleged that Jafaru Sani, a former Kaduna commissioner for education, was abducted by a group he described as a “police kidnapping gang” linked to Uba Sani, the governor of Kaduna.

El-Rufai alleged that Sani was “remanded in prison custody by a magistrate without any police first information report or charges by the state ministry of justice”.

However, in a statement on Friday, Mansir Hassan, the police spokesperson in Kaduna, said the force has the power to arrest and investigate “whoever is alleged or suspected to have committed an offence”.

Hassan warned the former governor to “desist from frivolous and malicious allegations against any security agency”.

The police spokesperson confirmed the arrest of the former Kaduna commissioner.

“The attention of the command has been drawn to Malam Nasir El Rufai’s statement on his X handle, wherein he alleged that one of his former Commissioners, Malam Jafaru Sani, was abducted by what he referred to as Uba Sani’s “kidnapping gang,” which he claimed to be the police,” the statement reads.

“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. The statutes mandate the police to maintain law and order.

“In the discharge of this constitutional duty, the police have the legal, legitimate, and constitutional right to arrest and investigate whoever is alleged or suspected to have committed an offence.

“Individuals, corporate organisations, and government have the right to lodge a formal complaint to the police, and the police have a mandate to investigate such allegations, and when it’s believed that an offence has been committed, such matter is prosecuted or referred to court.

“The command urges 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.

“We urge individuals to always verify allegations before making any public statements.”