By: Muhammad Ibrahim, Sokoto.

The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau I. Jibrin, has urged Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano State to refrain from politicising the issue of insecurity and instead focus on addressing the numerous problems bedevilling the state under his leadership.

Responding to the allegation by the state government that his remarks were capable of undermining ongoing security efforts, made at the end of the 34th Executive Council Meeting presided over by the governor, Senator Barau said the country’s security challenges—including the recent incursion of parts of the state by marauding bandits—require the collaboration and support of all stakeholders.

In a statement issued by his media aide, Ismail Mudashir, the Deputy President of the Senate faulted the claims by the state government and challenged officials to produce the clip in which he allegedly commented capable of aggravate insecurity in the state.

“The attention of the media office of the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau I. Jibrin, CFR, FCNA, has been drawn to the false, reckless, and malicious claims by the Kano State Government, through the Commissioner for Information, Ibrahim Abdullahi Waiya, that His Excellency made a statement capable of undermining security efforts in the state.

“It is unfortunate that the state government has relegated governance to such a low level by concocting and fabricating lies to tarnish the growing reputation of the Deputy President of the Senate. At no time did Senator Barau utter any statement capable of undermining security efforts. Instead, he has been at the forefront, collaborating with all stakeholders to address insecurity in parts of Kano and across the country.

“We challenge them to produce the clip in which the Deputy President of the Senate made any statement that could undermine security efforts,” the statement added.

Senator Barau, who is also the First Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, urged Governor Yusuf to “wake up from slumber” and take charge of the state’s affairs to restore Kano to the path of progress.

“Until governance was relegated to the background, our beloved Kano used to be a very close second to Lagos in terms of prosperity. Unfortunately, misgovernance has eroded this. We have everything necessary to restore the glorious days of our state, but the governor is not taking steps in that direction,” he said.

The release, signed by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Deputy President of the Senate, Ismail Mudashir, noted that in a bid to enhance security in the state, Senator Barau has provided operational vehicles to all police formations in his senatorial district and some other parts of the state, and has also donated motorcycles to policemen serving in Kano North Senatorial District.

Additionally, he renovated parts of the Kano State Police Command headquarters and constructed police stations in various parts of the state. He has also extended similar support to the Department of State Services (DSS) in the state.

“The Deputy President of the Senate has also facilitated the establishment of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Training College in Gwarzo, the Nigeria Police Service Commission Training Institute in Kabo, and the Nigeria Immigration Service Training School in Bichi, all of which are under construction.

“He has also installed solar-powered streetlights across his senatorial district and other parts of the state to enable effective nighttime patrols. Senator Barau has made significant contributions to enhancing security in Kano State. The state government should emulate him rather than cast aspersions on his personality,” the statement said.