The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has vehemently accused the federal government of leveraging law enforcement agencies, particularly the police, to intimidate opposition leaders while simultaneously failing to address the widespread insecurity plaguing the nation. This accusation stems from several incidents, including the summons issued to former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai, and other key ADC members, the attack on the convoy of former Attorney-General of the Federation Abubakar Malami, and the sealing of the ADC's office in Kaduna.

Bolaji Abdullahi, ADC National Publicity Secretary, condemned these developments as “an assault not just on individual politicians, but on Nigeria’s democracy itself.” He highlighted a troubling pattern where the police appear more focused on “silencing opposition leaders than protecting citizens,” even as terrorists and bandits continue to operate unchecked across northern Nigeria. Abdullahi cited an incident where thugs, armed with stones and cutlasses, attacked an ADC gathering in Kaduna while police officers allegedly stood by. Rather than arresting the perpetrators, the police are now reportedly targeting the victims with summons. Similarly, an attack on Malami’s convoy in Kebbi occurred in broad daylight near a police outpost, yet no arrests were made. The police also sealed off the ADC’s office in Kaduna ahead of a planned meeting, an act the party described as a deliberate attempt to stifle its constitutional right to assemble and organize.

The Nigeria Police, Kaduna State Command, confirmed issuing a summons to Nasir El-Rufai and six other ADC members for allegations including inciting disturbance of public peace, criminal conspiracy, mischief, and causing grievous hurt. The letter, dated September 4, 2025, from the Criminal Investigation Department, requested their appearance on September 8, 2025, to clarify complaints. Other individuals named in the summons include Bashir Sa’idu, Jafaru Sani, Ubaidullah Mohammed (aka 30), Nasiru Maikano, Aminu Abita, and Ahmed Rufa’i Hussaini (aka Mikiya). These summons followed an incident where suspected thugs disrupted the inauguration of the transition committee members of a coalition of opposition parties under the ADC in Kaduna, attacking participants and vandalizing property.

Following the violence, the Kaduna state government engaged in heated exchanges with El-Rufai, accusing him of plotting to destabilize the state through provocative actions and inflammatory statements—allegations he denied. The Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Dr. Suleiman Shuaibu, stated that the government would not tolerate any attempts by a “discredited former leader” to reignite chaos and ethno-religious tension. Despite the police invitation, ADC members maintained they had not been formally served and had only learned of it via social media.

The ADC has demanded the immediate withdrawal of the summons issued to El-Rufai and other party leaders, asserting they are politically motivated. The party also called for the unsealing of its Kaduna office, the publication of the names of individuals who filed the complaints that triggered the investigations, and the arrest and prosecution of those behind the attacks in Kebbi and Kaduna. Furthermore, the ADC insisted on disciplinary action against police officers who failed to intervene during these incidents. The party urged the federal government to redirect the Nigeria Police’s focus toward its primary duty of protecting all citizens, rather than serving as a tool for political manipulation, vowing to resist intimidation.

Adding to the political discourse, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar remarked that recent developments signal a troubling drift towards authoritarianism under President Bola Tinubu. Senator Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto South, while appearing on Channels Television’s programme Politics Today, advised El-Rufai to honor the police summons. However, Tambuwal also emphasized that the police cannot curtail the constitutional rights to freedom of association and assembly, clarifying that political parties typically notify, rather than seek permission from, the police for meetings, primarily for security provision and coordination rather than prohibition.