The National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, has threatened to file a defamation suit against the Kano State deputy governor, Aminu Gwarzo over his accusation in the ongoing Emirship tussle in Kano.
Gwarzo, in a short video interview at the Emir’s palace in Gidan Rumfa on Saturday, had accused the NSA of facilitating the return of the 15th Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero, after he (Bayero) was deposed from the position.
He said, “The National Security Adviser gave two jets to bring the dethroned emir to Kano and to bring him to the place. We have not understood their intention.”
However, despite denying the allegation on Saturday through his spokesperson, Zakari Mijinyawa, the NSA, in a letter, through his lawyers, Aliyu & Musa Chambers, demanded an apology from Gwarzo.
The lawyers noted that while Ribadu had never been accused of any wrongdoing, he had been receiving a “barrage of telephone calls both within and outside Nigeria” over the “false accusation.”
The letter read partly, “We act as solicitors to Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, who presently occupies the exalted position of the National Security Adviser (“our client”) and on whose instruction we write this letter.
“The attention of our client was drawn to a video clip being shared on different social media platforms wherein you granted an interview at Emir’s Palace in Kano on Saturday, the 25th day of May 2024, in a very calm atmosphere, and without any provocation whatsoever, falsely accusing our client of using his office to kill the people of Kano State and maim their properties. In the clip, you were shown to be talking in Hausa.
“Your false accusations against our client portraying his office as an appendage of a political party and a willing tool to cause chaos in Kano is false and done with the intention of damaging the hard-earned reputation of our client in the eyes of the right-thinking members of the society and indeed it has succeeded in doing so.”
The NSA’s lawyers stated that the deputy governor should provide substantial evidence to back his claims but without such, should, within 24 hours, retract his accusation and tender a public apology.
It added that failure to do so, their client – Ribadu, would be “compelled to seek redress in a court of law.”
