Kebbi State Governor, Nasir Idris, has urged security agencies to arrest and prosecute former Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, over allegations that the state government imported mercenaries—a claim he described as an act of terrorism and economic sabotage.
Speaking in Birnin Kebbi on Monday during an interface with a coalition of Civil Society Organisations, Idris said Malami’s allegations have already scared off foreign investors and disrupted ongoing federal and state projects.
“Some foreign companies working on road projects are abandoning sites because of rumours of banditry attacks linked to Malami’s claims,” the governor said.
He accused Malami of attempting to camouflage his own political thuggery:
“Malami, to camouflage, accused the Kebbi State government of importing mercenaries, when in fact his hired armed thugs from neighbouring states unleashed mayhem on innocent people and vandalised properties in Birnin Kebbi last week,” Idris alleged.
The governor stressed that the matter goes beyond politics, warning of dire implications for Kebbi’s stability and economic growth.
“These allegations should not be seen as mere politics born out of desperation; they amount to terrorism and deliberate sabotage of Kebbi’s socio-economic development,” he declared.
Idris dismissed suggestions that Malami’s moves were aimed at blackmailing him ahead of the 2027 elections, saying the people of Kebbi had already demonstrated “unprecedented support and goodwill” towards his leadership.
The governor’s position aligns with the All Progressives Congress (APC) caucus in the National Assembly, led by Senator Muhammad Adamu Aliero, which has also called for Malami’s arrest and prosecution.
Similarly, the Coalition for Justice and Equity (CJE) has urged security agencies to place the former Minister on a terrorism watchlist, describing his actions as a “smokescreen to promote a terrorist agenda.”
Meanwhile, APC stakeholders in Kebbi State have reaffirmed their confidence in Governor Idris, unanimously endorsing his second-term bid—a move believed to have triggered Malami’s frustration and alleged resort to political thuggery.
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