Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, has warned Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf to stop politicising security issues and focus on addressing the state’s mounting challenges.
His position followed allegations by the state government that his recent public comments could jeopardise ongoing security operations. The claim was made after the 34th State Executive Council meeting chaired by the governor.
Barau, however, insisted that insecurity in Nigeria — including bandit attacks in parts of Kano — demands collaboration, not blame-trading.
In a statement by his media aide, Ismail Mudashir, the Deputy Senate President dismissed the allegation as “false, reckless and malicious,” challenging the government to produce any video evidence showing he made remarks capable of undermining security efforts.
“It is unfortunate that the state government has reduced governance to fabricating lies to tarnish the growing reputation of the Deputy President of the Senate,” the statement read. “At no point did Senator Barau make comments capable of undermining security. Instead, he has consistently partnered with stakeholders to confront insecurity in Kano and across the country.
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“We challenge them to produce the clip where the Deputy President of the Senate made any statement that could undermine security efforts.”
Barau, who also serves as the First Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, urged Governor Yusuf to “wake up” and steer the state back toward growth.
“Until governance was relegated to the background, Kano was a close second to Lagos in prosperity. Misgovernance has eroded this. We have all it takes to restore the state’s glory, but the governor is not taking the necessary steps,” he said.
The statement outlined Barau’s contributions to security enhancement in the state, including the provision of operational vehicles to all police formations in his senatorial district and motorcycles for officers serving in Kano North. He also renovated parts of the state police headquarters and constructed police stations in several communities.
Barau has similarly supported the Department of State Services (DSS) and facilitated the establishment of key training institutions of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Gwarzo, the Police Service Commission training institute in Kabo, and the Nigeria Immigration Service training school in Bichi.
He has also installed solar-powered streetlights across Kano North and other parts of the state to aid night patrols.
“The state government should emulate these efforts instead of casting aspersions on his personality,” the statement added.
