The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has called for a thorough investigation into Nasir el-Rufai’s admission that he accessed an intercepted phone conversation involving Nuhu Ribadu, the national security adviser (NSA).

In a post on X, Onanuga described el-Rufai’s disclosure as a “confession” and questioned whether the former Kaduna governor and his unnamed “collaborators” possess wire-tapping facilities.

“El-Rufai confesses to wire-tapping Nigeria’s NSA on TV. Does it mean that he and his collaborators have wire-tapping facilities?” Onanuga asked.

El-Rufai, s former governor of Kaduna and member of opposition African Democratic Congress, ADC, had, in an interview, said he accessed an intercepted phone conversation involving the NSA.

During the interview on Prime Time, an Arise Television programme, je said “someone tapped” Ribadu’s phone, allowing him to listen to the NSA allegedly instructing security operatives to effect his arrest.

He acknowledged the act’s illegality, adding that the government does it all the time.

“He made the call because we listened to their calls. The government thinks they are the only ones that listen to calls but we also have our ways. He made the call and gave the order,” he said.

“Someone tapped his phone. The government listens to our calls all the time without a court order. Someone tapped his phone and told us that he gave the order.”

By Bonaventure Melah

Former Governor of Kano state, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has firmly rejected allegations by his former Kaduna state counterpart, Nasir El-Rufai, linking him to the disappearance of Abubakar Idris, popularly known as Dadiyata.

In a statement signed by former Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs in Kano state, Comrade Muhammad Garba, the former APC national chairman described the allegation as reckless, unfounded and a clear attempt to shift responsibility for an incident that occurred entirely within Kaduna State.

He emphasized that Dadiyata lived and operated in Kaduna, where he was widely known for directing his criticisms at the Kaduna state government.

According to him, there is no credible record suggesting that the activist’s primary focus was the Kano state government or Dr. Ganduje.

“Everyone in Kaduna knew the nature of the criticism he made and who it was directed at,” he stated, noting that responsibility for security in Kaduna at the time rested with the state government and the relevant federal security agencies operating there.

The statement called for careful scrutiny of El-Rufai’s recent remarks, stressing that such serious allegations must be supported by verifiable evidence rather than political rhetoric.

Dragging Ganduje into the matter without proof, Garba said, not only politicizes a painful and unresolved episode but also risks further confusing the public over an already sensitive case.

Contrasting the political climates of both states during the period in question, Garba maintained that Ganduje’s two-term administration in Kano was marked by tolerance for criticism, open media engagement and acceptance of opposition voices.

“Unlike many political leaders who maintained strained relationships with the media, we allowed scrutiny, accommodated critical voices and even learned from dissenting perspectives,” he said.

The former Commissioner added that there was no record of arrests, intimidation or harassment of journalists or critics in Kano during Ganduje’s tenure.

He further observed that public discourse surrounding Dadiyata’s disappearance has, over the years, centered largely on events within Kaduna state and noted further that former Senator Shehu Sani had openly remarked that many individuals within the state were reluctant to speak publicly about the case, while commentator Reno Omokri previously raised allegations questioning how the matter was handled at the time.

Garba also expressed concern over El-Rufai’s claim that a police officer allegedly confessed to being sent from Kano to abduct Dadiyata.

He questioned why such grave information, if credible, was not formally disclosed to investigative authorities or pursued transparently through appropriate security channels at the time.

“It is difficult to reconcile a claim of having no prior knowledge of the individual with simultaneously making detailed assertions about who was responsible,” he noted.

While reiterating sympathy for Dadiyata’s family, Garba stressed that the priority should remain on uncovering the truth through lawful and transparent investigative processes.

“The family deserves closure,” he said. “What they do not deserve is for this tragic matter to become an instrument of political blame-shifting.”

He concluded by urging anyone with credible information regarding the abduction to present it to the appropriate authorities, emphasizing that accountability must rest on facts and due process, not speculation.

Nigeria has received a significant international recognition, as the Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Tony Ojukwu, OFR, SAN, has been elected to the Bureau of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI).

This comes after Ojukwu’s recent appointment as President of the Network of National Human Rights Institutions in West Africa (NNHRI-WA).

According to a statement by Hajia Fatimah Agwai Mohammed, Director, Corporate Affairs and External Linkages, Ojukwu’s election, is a significant milestone for Nigeria and a testament to NHRC’s growing influence in advancing human rights globally.

The statement added that as a member of GANHRI’s governing body, Ojukwu will play a key role in implementing decisions, overseeing operations, and assessing membership applications.

We at Nationwide Reports and African Leadership Scorecard Magazine, congratulate Nigeria’s Chief Human Rights Officer Dr. Tony Ojukwu, for yet, another bright feather on his cap.