THE Kano State Government has rejected a recent terror alert issued by the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), alleging it is part of a plot to disrupt religious gatherings in the state.
The state’s commissioner for information and internal affairs, Ibrahim Waiya, expressed this position during a press briefing at the Emir’s Palace on Friday, January 24.
Waiya criticised the deployment of security operatives to the venue of the National Tijjaniyya Maulud at Kofar Mata Stadium.
He described the move as unnecessary and baseless, stressing that there is no credible security threat in the state.
“Kano State, as a historical centre of Islamic scholarship and religious harmony, remains committed to upholding and supporting activities that promote peace, unity, and spiritual growth.
“This action is not only unnecessary but also unjustified, as there has been no report of any security threat in Kano State that would warrant such an extreme measure. The presence of security operatives at the venue of this significant religious activity is unwarranted and unacceptable,” the commissioner said.
Waiya further reaffirmed the state’s commitment to peaceful religious activities, vowing that the event will go as planned.
“The National Tijjaniyya Maulud will be held as planned from 8:00 am at Kofar Mata Stadium. This religious gathering is organised by a legitimately registered and recognised body, and any attempt to obstruct it would be a violation of the citizens’ right to lawful assembly and religious practice in Nigeria.”
While calling on the federal government to withdraw its security forces from the venue, he insisted that any disruption to the gathering would infringe on the rights of citizens to assemble and practice their religion.
The ICIR reports that the Kano State Police Command had raised concerns about potential terror threats in the state.
In a statement on Friday, the command’s public relations officer, Abdullahi Haruna, urged residents to exercise caution and avoid crowded places, citing intelligence reports of suspected terrorists planning attacks.
“The Kano State Police Command, in liaison with other security agencies, has received intelligence reports of suspected terrorists planning to launch attacks on public gatherings in strategic locations within Kano State.
“In response, we hereby urge residents to exercise caution and avoid crowded places and environments until further notice as a preventive measure to enable security operatives to identify and dislodge possible attackers,” Abdullahi said.
He also assured the public that necessary security arrangements had been put in place, with specialised teams deployed to critical areas.
Usman Mustapha is a solution journalist with International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: umustapha@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M