National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, has threatened to sue the Deputy Governor of Kano State, Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, over alleged defamation of character and image.
Ribadu issued the threat in a letter by his lawyers on Saturday over comments credited to Gwarzo allegedly accusing the NSA of deploying troops to escort the deposed Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero to return to the state after he was removed by Governor Abba Yusuf.
Bayero was on Thursday last week, dethroned by Yusuf who promptly reinstalled Sanusi Lamido Sanusi who himself, was deposed by former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje in 2019.
Yusuf had also dissolved the five Emirate Councils in Kano and directed all the five Emirs affected by the new Kano Emirates Council Law to hand over to Gwarzo who doubles as the Commissioner of Chieftaincy Affairs.
On Friday, another drama unfolded as Bayero returned to Kano City with soldiers and made his way to a mini palace in Nasarawa.
While reacting to the return of Bayero, Gwarzo, in an interview, said Ribadu had facilitated return of the deposed Emir to the ancient city by providing two planes and soldiers to back him up.
“The former governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, is not happy with the peace and understanding being enjoyed in Kano and is using the office of the National Security Adviser to deploy security personnel to subvert the will of Kano people and to bring something the people don’t like,” Gwarzo said.
“The National Security Adviser has provided two planes to bring the former Emir to Kano. What we failed to understand is the reason behind his action. The intent is to kill and destroy properties because they are not from Kano?”
But in a statement on Saturday issued by his spokesman, Zakari Mijinyawa, Ribadu denied the allegations by Gwarzo and vowed to institute a legal action against the Deputy Governor if he does not retract the allegations and tender a public apology.
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The letter through his lawyers, Aliyu & Musa Chambers, reads:
“We act as solicitors to Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, who presently occupies the exalted position of the National Security Adviser (“our client”) and on whose instruction we write this letter.
“The attention of our client was drawn to a video clip being shared on different social media platforms wherein you granted an interview at Emir’s Palace in Kano on Saturday, the 25th day of May 2024, in a very calm atmosphere, and without any provocation whatsoever, falsely accusing our client of using his office to kill the people of Kano State and maim their properties. In the clip, you were shown to be saying in Hausa.
“Your false accusations against our client portraying his office as an appendage of a political party and a willing tool to cause chaos in Kano is false and done with the intention of damaging the hard-earned reputation of our client in the eyes of the right-thinking members of the society and indeed it has succeeded in doing so.
“In all the places he has served, our client has never been accused of any wrongdoing. Given this illustrious background, it is inconceivable that someone would harbour the thought that our client would descend his exalted office so low as to interfere in the local tussle of the Kano Emirate.
“The wide coverage you gave your interview has caused serious embarrassment to our client and his family.
“Since the publication, our client has been receiving barrage of telephone calls both within and outside Nigeria from friends and associates who felt disappointed in him because of the false allegation owing to the fact that it came from a person occupying the office of Deputy Governor of Kano State.
“Our client and his office take your allegations seriously and by this letter, our client is demanding that you provide irrefutable evidence to substantiate your claims. If you have no proof, our client demands you to within 24 hours:
“i. retract the libellous allegation in a similar manner you made it as well as give it wide media circulation; and
“ii. issue a public apology in five National dailies with wide national coverage and on popular online platforms. Note that if you fail to do so, our client will be compelled to seek redress in a court of law.”
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