Kano State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, AbdulKarim Maude (SAN), has described the withdrawal of police officers from the Independence Day parade as a serious security risk and an act that undermines the authority of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf.
In a statement issued on Saturday, Maude accused the Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, of “undermining the statutory powers vested in the Governor as the Chief Security Officer of the state.”
Governor Yusuf had earlier passed a vote of no confidence in Bakori and called for his immediate removal, following the police command’s withdrawal from the October 1 parade at the Sani Abacha Stadium.
Reacting to the incident, Maude said, “The action of the police command to boycott the Independence Day parade constituted a security risk and heightened needless tension in the state.”
He added that the Commissioner of Police “has breached the executive powers of the Governor while exposing him to security threats.”
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According to the Attorney General, the Commissioner of Police is constitutionally bound to obey the lawful directives of the Governor in matters of public order and safety, except when there is an overriding directive from the President.
“The CP stands at the junction of dual accountability to both the IGP and the Governor,” Maude said. “However, the dual accountability structure has led to disputes, as seen in the case of the national day parade, where the CP’s absence led to accusations of sabotage and unethical behavior from the Governor.”
He cited Section 214(4) of the Constitution, which recognizes the Nigeria Police Force as a single centralized institution under the Inspector General of Police, but noted that Section 215 also grants Governors the authority to issue lawful directives to Commissioners of Police on security matters within their states.
“This incident demonstrates the ongoing constitutional debate about the CP’s accountability and the impact it has on governance, security, and federal balance in Nigeria,” Maude said.
He further stated: “By failing to comply with the Governor’s directive and without invoking the constitutional mechanism of referral to the President, the Commissioner of Police arguably breached the constitutional balance contemplated under Sections 214 and 215, thereby validating Governor Yusuf’s protest and demand against the CP.”
