The Zamfara State Government has raised alarm over what it described as the use of federal security institutions to harass and intimidate opposition figures in the state.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the state government accused the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, of using the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) to target political opponents, describing the development as a dangerous abuse of power.
According to the statement, a Technical Assistant in the Office of the Zamfara State Governor, Saleem Abubakar, was allegedly abducted in Abuja on Monday by operatives said to be attached to a special forces unit under the Office of the National Security Adviser.
Signed by the spokesperson to the State Governor, Sulaiman Bala Idris, the government claimed that the operatives acted without presenting an arrest warrant and took Abubakar to an undisclosed location. It further alleged that he was moved between different facilities in an attempt to conceal his whereabouts.
The Zamfara government described the incident as “illegal” and “deeply disturbing,” alleging that the abduction was coordinated through the NSA’s office at the behest of the Minister of State for Defence.
“This is a perilous precedent that all Nigerians must strongly condemn,” the statement said, warning that the politicization of security institutions threatens their neutrality and undermines democratic principles.
The state government called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene by calling the Office of the National Security Adviser to order, stressing that such actions could damage Nigeria’s international reputation.
It also maintained that if there were allegations against Abubakar, due process should be followed by charging him in court rather than resorting to what it described as abduction and intimidation.
The statement added that the Zamfara State Government would continue to monitor the situation closely and pursue the matter to ensure accountability and justice.