• Malami: “Thugs imported to destabilise Kebbi State”
• Kebbi APC: “You’re lying, Kebbi is Safe.”
By Abiola Olawale
The immediate past Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), has accused Governor Nasir Idris of Kebbi State and his allies of plotting to import armed thugs and foreign mercenaries from the Niger Republic to destabilize Kebbi State..
The accusations, detailed in a petition dated September 10, 2025, have sparked reaction from the Kebbi State APC National Assembly Caucus, who in turn accused Malami of allegedly being the real instigator of violence by hiring his own set of hoodlums.
The New Diplomat reports that reports about the escalating situation became public when Malami, who recently defected from the APC to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), called on heads of top security agencies—including the National Security Adviser (NSA), Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), and Comptrollers-General of Immigration and Civil Defence—to investigate and halt what he described as a “looming national security crisis.”
According to the petition, Malami alleged that “some politicians close to Governor Idris are collaborating with foreign mercenaries to arm local thugs.”
These groups, he claimed, are being equipped to “attack citizens, silence opposition voices, and undermine peace in the state.”
The former AGF specifically referenced a violent incident on September 1, 2025, during his condolence visit to beareved families in Birnin Kebbi, the state capital.
He recounted how an armed assailant allegedly attacked his convoy with stones and dangerous weapons, damaging about 10 vehicles and injuring several supporters.
“The thugs operated with impunity and without fear of law enforcement,” Malami stated, accusing the APC of complicity and linking the attackers to the terrorist group Lakurawa, known for activities in the region.
Reacting to the allegations on Saturday, the Kebbi state APC national assembly caucus dismissed the petition.
The caucus in a statement, said Malami’s petition was “politically motivated and aimed at destabilising the state”.
The statement reads in part: “At no time has the Kebbi state government or the APC family been involved in clandestine activities or linked with terrorist groups, as mischievously claimed by Malami.
“Kebbi remains one of the most peaceful states in Nigeria today, owing to deliberate investments in security, collaboration with agencies, and the support of our patriotic citizens.
“Governor Nasir Idris has demonstrated exceptional capacity and performance in the security sector, ensuring peace and stability far above expectations since assuming office.
“Malami’s petition is a smear campaign, laced with dangerous rhetoric, intended to incite fear and distract from his declining political relevance.
“We call on security agencies to focus on genuine threats to national security and not be drawn into partisan theatrics.
“We urge the security agencies to invite Malami to substantiate his allegations and prevent baseless narratives from undermining their efforts.”
