Amid escalating insecurity in parts of Kano State, political analyst Hassan Ibrahim has urged former Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje to refrain from interfering in the state’s security matters.
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He also advised Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf to set aside politics and focus on ensuring the safety of residents.
Ibrahim made these remarks in an exclusive interview with local media.
Mr. Ibrahim said the situation should be viewed from two angles.
“The first angle is about Ganduje and what he is trying to achieve with his statements. The second angle is how the Kano State Government under Abba Kabir Yusuf is interpreting and responding to it.
According to him, some of the former governor’s comments could aggravate an already fragile atmosphere.
He referenced Umar Ganduje’s remarks about forming a new private security outfit, allegedly based on a report submitted by Baffa Babba Dan Agundi, claiming the current administration had sacked over 12,000 Hisbah personnel.
“If we look at Ganduje’s political strategy, one will think he may be using the insecurity issue to weaken the current government. When a government fails to handle insecurity, the people will blame the governor, and that could affect voter perception in future elections,” he noted.
He warned that Umar Ganduje’s proposal for a separate security structure could worsen the tension.
“There is already a state-owned security outfit, the Hisbah, and they are doing their best. If Ganduje establishes his own, it will create clashes between the two. The government may then focus more on countering his outfit instead of dealing with bandits,” Ibrahim said.
He added that such distraction could embolden criminals.
“Bandits and people with negative intentions can capitalize on the tension to attack leaders and communities,” he cautioned.
Mr. Ibrahim also said the current administration has grounds to hold Umar Ganduje partly responsible for Kano’s rising insecurity.
He pointed to incidents of political thuggery under the former governor.
“Under Ganduje’s administration, thuggery didn’t just grow, it became a political tool to intimidate opponents. It was even alleged during the 2019 inconclusive election that thugs were hired to intimidate voters,” he said.
He further mentioned the lingering emirship tussle, insisting that Umar Ganduje has a hand in that too, adding that the dispute contributes to the state’s instability.
Turning to the present government, the analyst urged Governor Yusuf to act decisively.
“This is a clarion call for Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf to deploy all resources within his constitutional powers to stop and defeat insecurity in Kano. His first mandate is to protect the lives and property of the people,” he emphasised.
He advised the governor to strengthen cooperation with security agencies.
“The governor must mend fences with the police, DSS, and military institutions. There is no way they can defeat insecurity without a healthy relationship,” he said.
“It should be known that if insecurity persists in the state, not only the governor has failed but all security agencies have also failed. “
Mr. Ibrahim appealed to both Umar Ganduje and Governor Yusuf to prioritise public safety over political interests.
“Before politics, there must be Kano. Without people, there is no politics. Ganduje should support the current administration to tackle insecurity first, and political battles can follow later,” he concluded.
His comments come after the Kano State government, during the 34th State Executive Council meeting, called on security agencies to immediately arrest Ganduje and Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin over alleged incitements of bandits to attack communities in the state.
The council accused the former governor of either inciting or abetting terrorists in parts of Kano.
Responding to the allegations, Umar Ganduje, who is also the former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), condemned the call for his arrest as reckless, baseless, and a clear reflection of the Kano State Governor’s desperation and incompetence.
In a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Edwin Olofu, Umar Ganduje described the allegation as politically motivated and baseless, further accusing Governor Yusuf of consistently failing to secure the lives and property of Kano residents and merely looking for scapegoats.
Recall that Ganduje, on Saturday, launched the sale of registration forms for an independent Hisbah outfit in Kano.
The ceremony was led by APC chieftain Hon. Baffa Babba Dan Agundi and the former Commander of the state Hisbah Board, Sheikh Harun Ibn Sina.
Speaking at the event, Ibn Sina, who is driving the initiative under the Umar Ganduje Foundation explained that the new Hisbah is not a government agency but a voluntary organisation created for religious and humanitarian purposes.
“This is not a government body. It is a voluntary organisation we created purely for the sake of Allah. We are not in competition with the government’s Hisbah,” he said.
He added that the aim of establishing the independent Hisbah is to provide a new platform for about 12,000 individuals who were reportedly disengaged from the state-run Hisbah.
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