Nasir el-Rufai, former governor of Kaduna, has petitioned the Police Service Commission (PSC) over alleged unprofessional conduct by officers of the Kaduna command.
In a letter dated September 8 and addressed to the chairman and chief executive of the PSC, el-Rufai said the conduct of the commissioner of police and some officers in Kaduna was “unlawful and unconstitutional”.
“I am writing as a citizen of Nigeria and former governor of Kaduna State to formally lodge this complaint and demand an immediate, impartial, and exhaustive investigation into the unlawful and unconstitutional conduct of the Commissioner of Police (‘the Commissioner’) and some officers of the Kaduna State Police Command,” the petition reads.
The former governor said his complaint was aimed at assisting the commission to discharge its constitutional responsibility of enforcing discipline and promoting ethical conduct within the police.
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“I submit this petition with a profound sense of responsibility as a citizen of Nigeria and a public servant who has served our nation at national and subnational levels, including dedicating eight years to improving Kaduna State for all its residents,” he said.
“I am motivated by concern for the Nigerian Police Force, which, despite its challenges, remains the primary law enforcement institution in the country. It is the duty of all citizens not only to support it but also to ensure that the Commission can exercise its regulatory powers to enforce discipline and promote ethical conduct among all police officers at all times.
“The egregious conduct of some bad eggs that serve interests other than those conferred by law in Section 4 of the Police Act, 2020, negatively affects the image of the police and undermines public confidence in its leadership.”
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The petition comes amid growing tension between the former governor and the Kaduna government.
On September 4, the Kaduna police command invited el-Rufai and six members of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), for questioning over allegations of “criminal conspiracy, inciting disturbance of public peace, mischief and causing grievous hurt”.
The police had asked the former governor to visit their office on Monday, September 8.
The Kaduna government had earlier accused el-Rufai of plotting to destabilise the state through of attempting to destabilise the state through “provocation and manipulation”.
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In a statement issued on September 1, Suleiman Shuaibu, commissioner for internal security and home affairs, alleged that el-Rufai was “plotting to unleash mayhem across Kaduna State in a desperate bid to destabilise the state and drag it back into its dark and violent past”.
But el-Rufai denied the allegations, insisting that the attack on members of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) during a meeting in Kaduna on August 30, was orchestrated by the state government. He said he would present evidence to the police to substantiate his claim.
