Why Police Seal ADC Secretariat In Kaduna, Invite El-Rufai, Others For Questioning

By Emiola Osifeso

The Kaduna State Police Command has sealed the African Democratic Congress (ADC) secretariat in Kaduna and invited former governor Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, along with six senior party officials, for questioning over allegations of criminal conspiracy, incitement of public disturbance, mischief, and causing grievous hurt.

The police invitation was contained in a letter dated September 4, 2025, and signed by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the Criminal Investigation Department, DCP Uzairu Abdullahi. The letter directed the ADC chairman to present the seven individuals before the State CID on September 8 to clarify issues raised in a petition by unnamed complainants.

Those listed include El-Rufai; Bashir Sa’idu; Jafaru Sani; Ubaidullah Mohammed (popularly known as “30”); Nasiru Maikano; Aminu Abita; and Ahmed Rufa’i Hussaini (also known as “Mikiya”).

“The invitation is part of ongoing efforts to maintain law and order in the state,” the police stated.

Earlier on Thursday, armed police officers sealed off the ADC state secretariat at No. 4 Ali Akilu Road in Kaduna. The move came just hours before the scheduled visit of ADC North-West leaders, who were set to commiserate with members injured in last week’s violent attack by suspected political thugs at a party meeting.

The abrupt closure sparked immediate criticism from opposition leaders, who accused the police of acting on political orders.

At a press briefing in his residence, flanked by ADC leaders, El-Rufai condemned the action as unlawful and politically motivated.

“The Commissioner of Police told us there was a court order barring the meeting,” El-Rufai said. “But we have not seen the court order. It has not been served on us. Even if there is such an order, the law prescribes proper service. None of that was done. We decided to obey the commissioner out of respect for his office, but we believe his action is unconstitutional.”

El-Rufai, who governed Kaduna from 2015 to 2023, vowed to challenge the closure in court. “We will challenge this closure in court. If need be, we are prepared to take this matter all the way to the Supreme Court,” he declared.

The former governor also hinted that the move was part of a larger campaign to silence him and the ADC.

The ADC, though not one of Nigeria’s “big three” parties, has been expanding its influence in the North-West, especially among disillusioned youths and defectors from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). In Kaduna, the party has become a rallying point for political figures sidelined in mainstream politics.

Just last week, suspected thugs violently disrupted an ADC Coalition Transition Committee meeting at the NUT Endwell Conference Centre. Several members were injured, and property was destroyed. Witnesses accused the police of standing by during the attack, and in some cases, colluding with the perpetrators.

ADC leaders said the attack was designed to intimidate the opposition and warned of “creeping dictatorship.”

Mallam Lawal Batagarawa, former Minister of State for Defence and a prominent ADC chieftain, described the incident as a “coordinated assault.”

“Such deliberate acts of political brutality represent a dangerous slide into lawlessness and authoritarianism,” Batagarawa said. “A government that uses security agencies and violence to suppress opponents is a threat to democracy. We will resist any attempt to foist a one-party dictatorship on this country.”

The Kaduna State Government has repeatedly accused El-Rufai of attempting to destabilise the state since leaving office.

On September 1, Commissioner for Internal Security, Dr. Shehu Shuaibu, alleged that the former governor was “plotting to cause unrest” following ADC’s electoral setbacks.

“Anyone who threatens the peace of Kaduna State will be held accountable, no matter their status,” Shuaibu said.

Government insiders argue that El-Rufai, once a powerful figure within the APC, has been using his new association with ADC to rebuild his political base ahead of 2027. His critics claim he is deliberately stoking political tension to undermine the current administration.

In response, the ADC North-West Zone issued a strongly worded statement condemning both the sealing of its secretariat and the invitation of its leaders by police.

“This is nothing but an attempt to stifle the opposition,” the party said. “We demand full investigations into the Kaduna attack, accountability for perpetrators and sponsors, and the immediate lifting of restrictions on political gatherings across the state.”

The statement further accused the government of weaponising security agencies. “Democracy cannot thrive where opposition voices are silenced. Nigerians must be vigilant against creeping authoritarianism.”

The latest developments have intensified political tension in Kaduna, a state with a long history of political and religious unrest. Analysts warn that the combination of party violence, heavy-handed security tactics, and El-Rufai’s defiant posture could push the state into deeper instability ahead of the 2027 elections.

With the ADC vowing to resist “dictatorial tendencies” and El-Rufai pledging a Supreme Court battle, Kaduna may become the epicentre of Nigeria’s next major political showdown.