Zamfara government seeks Tinubu’s intervention over alleged ONSA-linked abduction of governor’s aide

The Zamfara government has asked President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the alleged abduction of Saleem Abubakar, a technical assistant in the office of the state governor, in Abuja.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Sulaiman Idris, media aide to Dauda Lawal, governor of Zamfara, said the state government was compelled to alert the public to what he described as the use of “federal might” to harass and intimidate opposition figures.

Idris alleged that Abubakar was abducted in Abuja by operatives said to be linked to a special forces unit from the office of the national security adviser (NSA).

“The most unfortunate and worrying part of the abduction of Saleem Abubakar is that it was syndicated through the office of the NSA by the minister of state for defence, Bello Matawalle,” the statement reads.

“The abductors, without an arrest warrant, took Saleem to an unknown location, which we later found out they moved him to different facilities to cover their tracks.

“This is a perilous precedent that all Nigerians must strongly condemn. No amount of desperation is worth compromising the neutrality of the security.

“We cannot afford to fold our arms and watch the highest security office of the country being used as a tool of political persecution.

“We call on the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to call the office of the National Security Adviser to order. Such reckless actions are detrimental to Nigeria’s reputation.

“If the Defence Minister or the abductors of Saleem Abubakar from the National Security Adviser’s office have any problem with him, they should charge him in court instead of abducting him.

“We are closely monitoring this case of federal impunity and will follow it to a logical conclusion, ensuring that justice is served.” (The Cable)