Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State has taken swift action by terminating the services of Commissioner of Lands and Physical Planning, Adamu Kibiya, and his Special Adviser on Youth Development, Aliyu Yusuf-Imma. These officials had been captured in a viral video where they made disparaging remarks about Vice President Kashim Shettima and issued threats against the judges of the state’s governorship election petition tribunal, warning of dire consequences if the election of Governor Yusuf was overturned.
During a solidarity rally organized by the ruling New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) in Kano, the commissioner expressed his displeasure towards the judges presiding over the appeal for the state’s governorship election. He warned that any judge involved in bribery and unfair judgments must choose between their life and the bribe money they had received. The rally aimed to gather support and prayers for a favorable judgment from the tribunal.
Mr. Kibiya further threatened that if the tribunal’s ruling did not favor the NNPP, the security situation in Kano would escalate and surpass the current banditry crises witnessed in Kaduna, Zamfara, and Katsina. He claimed that the conflict in Kano would be deadlier than those experienced in these states and Borno.
The viral video sparked widespread condemnation across the country, with demands for the arrest and prosecution of the two officials. Governor Yusuf, through his Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Baba Halilu-Dantiye, distanced himself from these “unguarded utterances.” He emphasized that the Kano State Government holds Vice President Kashim Shettima and the judiciary in high regard. In light of this, the governor has terminated the services of both officials with immediate effect.
Mr. Halilu-Dantiye, during a press conference in Kano, stated that government officials should refrain from commenting on matters outside of their respective ministries or agencies. He called upon the residents of Kano State to abide by the law and respect the rule of law.
