The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau I. Jibrin, has urged Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf to stop politicising security matters and concentrate on tackling the pressing challenges confronting Kano State.
Barau’s response followed allegations made by the Kano State Government after its 34th Executive Council Meeting, where officials claimed that one of his recent comments could jeopardise ongoing security efforts. The senator dismissed the accusation, describing it as false and baseless.
In a statement issued by his media aide, Ismail Mudashir, Barau challenged the state government to present evidence to back its claims.
“The attention of the media office of the Deputy President of the Senate has been drawn to false, reckless and malicious claims by the Kano State Government… that Senator Barau made a statement capable of undermining security efforts,” the statement read.
He described the allegation as “unfortunate,” accusing the government of abandoning governance in favour of propaganda. “There was no time when Senator Barau uttered any statement capable of undermining security efforts,” he insisted.
Barau, who also serves as the First Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, noted that addressing insecurity in Kano and across Nigeria requires collaboration, not political attacks. He reiterated his challenge to the government: “We challenge them to produce the clip in which the Deputy President of the Senate made any statement that could undermine security efforts.”
The senator criticised what he described as declining governance standards in Kano, arguing that the state had once ranked closely behind Lagos in prosperity before “misgovernance eroded its progress.”
According to him, the state can still reclaim its former glory if decisive and development-driven leadership is provided. “We have everything necessary to restore the glorious days of our state, but the governor is not taking steps in that direction,” he said.
He also outlined several security interventions he has spearheaded across the state, including the provision of vehicles to police formations, motorcycles for officers in Kano North, renovation of sections of the state police headquarters, and the construction of police stations. He has also supported the Department of State Services (DSS).
The statement added that Barau facilitated the establishment of three major security training institutions: the NSCDC training college in Gwarzo, the Police Service Commission training institute in Kabo, and the Nigeria Immigration Service training school in Bichi. He also installed solar streetlights in numerous communities to aid night patrols.
Concluding, the senator maintained that he has made “significant contributions” to improving security in Kano and advised the state government to emulate such efforts instead of engaging in personal attacks.
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