The dangerous politics undermining internal security in Kano

BY IBRAHIM M. IDRIS

I offer my conflict of interest upfront: I am unapologetically pro-NNPP. But my argument here is not a partisan plea. It is a warning rooted in patriotism. Nigeria is sliding toward a troubling security future, and the danger grows when politics eclipses the Constitution. Since the return to democratic rule in 1999, Nigeria has endured a relentless cycle of crises. They came in all sorts and forms, be it ethnic clashes, sectarian violence, or regional militias challenging the legitimacy of the state. From the rise of the OPC in the Southwest to resource militancy in the Niger Delta and separatist agitations in the south-east, every region has known conflict.

At one point, dreaded Boko Haram controlled territory in the north-east, the size of Belgium! Yes, you have heard me right. It was that bad. And just as Nigeria began to push back the jihadist insurgency, another menace emerged. What began as banditry in a remote part of Zamfara state has metastasised across the north-west and is now creeping into the north-central region. International observers, sometimes misunderstanding the complexity, have packaged these attacks under an alarming narrative of “Christian genocide.” Meanwhile, several gallant officers have paid the ultimate price defending a nation that has struggled to defend itself.

Amid this deepening insecurity, Nigeria urgently needs coherence, coordination, and constitutional clarity. This requires genuine partnership between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the governors, who bear frontline responsibility for the safety of their citizens. Security is not achieved through boots, bullets, or bravado alone. It demands structure, legitimacy, and respect for the rule of law.

Yet today, politics, particularly in Kano, is undermining that structure. A disturbing example came recently from Umar Abdullahi Ganduje, former governor of Kano and former APC national chairman. He was heard boasting publicly about creating 12,000 militia members from retrenched Hisbah personnel. That declaration is not merely reckless; it is unconstitutional and dangerous. At a time when bandits are testing the borders of Kano, especially in the northern part bordering Katsina state, Ganduje’s own senatorial zone, his proposal echoes the dark prelude to Boko Haram’s rise, when non-state armed groups were first romanticised by politicians.

In any functioning democracy, such a statement by Ganduje would trigger an investigation or even prosecution. Instead, the federal government looks away as Ganduje indulges his political resentments and personal vendetta. It is no secret that his bitterness stems from losing decisively to Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf. But when private grudges translate into paramilitary fantasies, the entire nation is put at risk. This is not just a political skirmish; it is a constitutional one. Nigeria’s Constitution never envisioned a scenario where governors, the legally recognised heads of the state security council, would be undermined by rival politicians emboldened by federal favouritism. A governor cannot protect lives, coordinate internal security, or be held accountable by citizens when parallel power structures operate with tacit federal blessing.

Unfortunately, even Senator Barau Jibrin, who should understand the weight of federal responsibility in national security, chooses instead to weaponise the crisis. Rather than working with President Tinubu and Governor Abba to secure the state’s borders, he fuels unnecessary political hostility, hoping insecurity will be blamed on the state government. But Nigerians know better. Who controls the police, the DSS, the military, the immigration service, the NSCDC, and the prisons? The federal government. If security fails, it fails from the top. The largest pie goes to the federal.

To his credit, Governor Abba has responded responsibly, providing operational vehicles, strengthening the joint task force, and allocating billions of naira to improve security infrastructure. But no governor can succeed when political actors insist on playing commander without constitutional authority, instruments of state, or even basic accountability. Perhaps the most disturbing sign of political sabotage is the federal-level protection extended to the deposed 15th Emir of Kano. Hundreds of police officers, whose presence is desperately needed in vulnerable border communities like Tsanyawa, are instead deployed to guard an ousted traditional ruler illegally occupying a government property. Citizens facing banditry are left exposed, while political patronage enjoys full federal security backing.

Nigeria cannot afford this disorder. When politics begins to supersede the Constitution, insecurity thrives. President Tinubu must intervene not as the leader of the APC, but as the custodian of the Nigerian state. He must reaffirm that the Constitution, not personal loyalties or political calculations, guides internal security. And he must ensure that governors, regardless of party, can perform the duties the Constitution assigns to them. Because in the end, insecurity does not care about party lines. It respects only power vacuums, and Nigeria has created too many.

Ibrahim M. Idris writes from Kano. He can be reached via [email protected]