(DDM) – The former Aviation Minister, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, has accused Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, ex-Governor of Kaduna State, of posing a significant threat to Nigeria’s national security.
Speaking in a statement on Tuesday, Fani-Kayode said El-Rufai made “very serious allegations” against the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, and Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, during a recent interview. The former minister highlighted claims that Ribadu’s phone had been bugged and that the NSA’s office was allegedly importing “dangerous chemical weapons” into the country.
Fani-Kayode also referenced El-Rufai’s assertion of a conspiracy between Ribadu and Sani aimed at “destroying him” and “jailing him for life,” describing these allegations as reckless and potentially destabilizing. “If you can boast of bugging the NSA’s phone on national television, it makes you a security threat to our nation,” he said, emphasizing the gravity of such claims.
The former minister accused El-Rufai of being complicit in the alleged crimes by admitting public engagement with Ribadu and Sani, noting that such interactions, if illegal, render him an accessory after the fact. He argued that political figures who feel wronged should seek justice through formal legal channels rather than public accusations that could incite panic.
Fani-Kayode questioned why El-Rufai had not pursued judicial recourse, saying, “If you know you have done no wrong, why can’t you calm down, pray to God, behave in a dignified manner, carry your cross, and stop claiming that there is some imaginary and nonsensical conspiracy against you emanating from Kaduna State and the NSA’s office?”
The former minister warned that unsubstantiated claims regarding chemical weapons could erode public trust in national institutions and create unnecessary alarm. He also criticized El-Rufai’s tenure as governor, alleging that past policies and statements contributed to insecurity and social divisions in Kaduna State.
Fani-Kayode urged the former governor to exercise restraint and “make your peace with God,” advising him to avoid incendiary statements that could inflame tensions further. “Kindly behave and respect yourself and stop behaving like an unrepentant and unrelenting ingrate and pest. The NSA does not have your time, and neither does the Governor of your state,” he added.
El-Rufai has not yet responded publicly to Fani-Kayode’s latest statement, leaving the controversy unresolved as national observers weigh the implications of the accusations.
