Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasiru El-Rufai
Northern Citizens’ Group has faulted former Kaduna State governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, over his recent claim that he monitored the phone conversations of the National Security Adviser (NSA), describing the statement as reckless and potentially injurious to national security.
In a statement issued on Sunday in Kaduna, the President of the group, Yusuf Kanhu, said the allegation, if true, raises grave security implications and should be thoroughly investigated by relevant authorities.
According to the group, any admission of interference with the official communication of a serving National Security Adviser amounts to a serious matter that borders on national sabotage.
“If he actually monitored the conversations of a serving National Security Adviser, then this is a grave issue that threatens national security. However, if the claim is untrue, he must explain why he would make such an alarming statement capable of undermining public confidence in our security institutions,” the statement read.
The group called on security agencies to investigate the matter and compel the former governor to provide details of those allegedly involved, stressing that anyone found culpable of unlawfully tampering with official communications should be held accountable in accordance with the law.
Beyond the alleged phone-tapping claim, the Northern Citizens’ Group also criticised El-Rufai’s handling of insecurity during his tenure as governor of Kaduna State between 2015 and 2023.
It alleged that several communities across the state were ravaged by banditry, kidnappings and communal violence within the period.
The group claimed that many families lost loved ones, while numerous villages were displaced as residents lived in fear at the height of the crisis. It further alleged that Christians in parts of Southern Kaduna were among those most affected by the violence.
The statement also expressed concern over what it described as inflammatory public comments attributed to the former governor during the crisis, alleging that such remarks deepened ethno-religious tensions in the state.
The group said it was surprised that El-Rufai, who had at some point acknowledged negotiating with bandits in a bid to curb killings, would now seek to present himself as a moral authority on governance and security matters.
It added that claims of tapping the phone of a security chief, if accurate, could have compromised security operations, and therefore should not be treated lightly.
The Northern Citizens’ Group further alleged that the former governor’s recent comments may be linked to political grievances following his perceived marginalisation in the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
While urging political leaders to exercise caution in their public utterances, especially on sensitive security and interfaith matters, the group emphasised that national interest must take precedence over partisan considerations.
