By Abba Anwar
Without any fear of contradiction or mincing words, His Excellency, Deputy Senate President, Barau I Jibrin, CFR, is one of the very few politicians from the North, who genuinely understands that securing the land is a collective responsibility.
Not only that, his utterances, actions and interventions speak volume in that respect. Even before his election as a Senator to the period he became, the Deputy Senate President, this gentleman has always been a peaceful fellow, who believes in the promotion of peace and whose peaceful posture always takes him to upper levels.
Let me not take my reader to the early period of Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999, when Barau was member House of Representatives, from Tarauni federal constituency, what he did as a member then, in the promotion of peace and tranquility in the state, after the pains from military rule experience.
As a Senator also from Kano North, he contributed a lot in securing his primary constituency from infiltration of underworlds. For the overall security of the state and the country in general. To know more about his efforts then, I urge my readers to first of all, identify the leadership of the security architecture then, from Kano North Senatorial District and the state as a whole, to know what exactly he did in that respect.
I can’t provide my readers with all his interventions in the security circle, as a Senator. Security operations, efforts and interventions are normally confidential. I am yet to see an individual politician in Kano and the surrounding states, whose interest and interventions are much visible around our security system and architecture. Please mark my words, I am not saying there is nobody like him in Kano and other states, but I am yet to see one.
When he became the Deputy Senate President he strengthened his concern and the chain of his interventions within the security circle across the state, Northern Nigeria and the country as a whole.
And it was not his first time for aiding security agencies to maximize their operations effectively and efficiently.
Just few months back the DSP donated one thousand (1,000) motorcycles to Kano State Police Command for distribution across 76 Police Divisions in the state. Out of which, 700 motorcycles were distributed to his Constituency, Kano North and the remaining 300 were distributed to other Police Divisions from Kano Central and Kano South.
On top of that, earlier, 22 operational vehicles were donated by the Senator to the State Police Command. As he also sponsored the renovation of the State Police Headquarters, Bompai. He spent over One Billion Naira (N1b). This says a lot in the type of a leader this gentleman is. A quintessential mentor. It also says a lot in his love for peaceful Kano and peaceful Nigeria.
Not to talk of other interventions to other security agencies from the Senator. When I say other security agencies, I mean all other security agencies in the state. This is not something new, as far as DSP’s interventions in our security system is concerned.
It makes me feel, are we really in human kingdom, when I heard some saying DSP Barau has been ruining the security situation in the state, Kano. I can’t even understand what such people are trying to say. What are they really posing as their suggestive declaration of true situation. It appears confusing and misleading from their part.
In the recent all-important meeting of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) that was held in Kaduna, Distinguished Senator Barau urged for concrete actions against insecurity plaguing the North. His speech, at the meeting became the reference point to all other speakers at the occasion. People saw patriotism, seriousness, commitment, result – oriented engagement and straightforwardness from the Senator.
He disclosed, at that meeting, that at their level of our leaders, from his office, the Office of the Speaker House of Representatives, Tajuddeen Abbas, Northern Governors and other stakeholders, they are putting heads together to save the region from lingering insecurity. Is this not encouraging and appreciative? They want to see how North could be emancipated from the shackles of insecurity rocking the region. As security system demands, many efforts are done covertly. So only Almighty Allah Knows what and what arrangements the DSP is making alongside other Northern leaders in strengthening and reshaping our security architecture.
Not only in the security space and geography, Senator Barau, has for long, been, a genuine peaceful politician, whose patience, is seen by many of his people, as being to a fault. What is important and courageously embracing is his widespread humility and tranquility of mind. Ask his political contemporaries, you will believe with me that, DSP is increasingly peaceful, accommodating and down-to-earth.
What calls my attention on Senator’s attachment with security circle, is the recent blame on him by the Kano state government, through Honourable Commissioner for Information, Comrade Ibrahim Waiya, that the Senator has been making statements capable of deteriorating the fragile security of the state, Kano.
To me, Commissioner Waiya did mention Senator’s name by slip of tongue. This is the first time I heard responsible institution blaming DSP of reckless statements that can further increase the wound created by insecurity in the land. When it comes to promotion of security, Senator Barau has no match.
I also saw a press release issued today by the Special Adviser to the Deputy President of the Senate on Media and Publicity, Ismail Mudashir, challenging Kano state government to produce one clip or one evidence, that can attest to the authenticity of their claim on the Deputy Senate President.
The way I see it, is how I put it above, that Comrade Waiya mentioned the name of Senator Barau, by slip of tongue. Hence Kano state government CANNOT yes CANNOT produce such evidence. This is very clear. I have no doubt about this.
When the press release from DSP’s office, urged Kano state government that, “Don’t play politics with insecurity; focus on solving Kano’s problems,” it also challenges that, “We challenge them to produce the clip in which the Deputy President of the Senate made any statement that could undermine security efforts.”
Before posing the challenge, the statement argued that, “It is unfortunate that the state government has relegated governance to this low by concocting and fabricating lies to tarnish the growing reputation of the Deputy President of the Senate. There was no time when Senator Barau uttered any statement capable of undermining security efforts; instead, he has been at the forefront, collaborating with all stakeholders to address the insecurity challenges in parts of Kano and other areas in the country.”
Senator Barau advises Kano state Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, in the press release that, “The Deputy President of the Senate, who is also the First Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, urged the Kano State Governor to wake up from slumber and take charge of the affairs of the state to return Kano to the path of prosperity.”
But few hours a go, I saw a rebuttal of DSP’s press release from his Media Aide, the rebuttal was authored by one Comrade Abdullahi Hafiz, I hope a real name, not pen name (laughter), titled “Re: Governor Abba Don’t Play Politics With Insecurity : Replying Senator Barau.”
In it, the author, Mr Hafiz challenged DSP’s Media Aide over some infrastructures located at Kano North Senatorial District. I tried to quote some places in the rebuttal, but unfortunately none of the paragraphs looks sensible enough and informed, looking at the context of all the arguments. So all parts of the rebuttal are not quotable, if sensible and informed argument is what is at stake.
While DSP’s Media Aide, challenged Kano state government to produce a clip, even single clip, where Senator Barau makes statement capable of heightenning the tension of insecurity in the state, the rebuttal guy was busy enlisting infrastructures. From the first to the last paragraph, nowhere Mr Hafiz provides an evidence of a statement, where Senator Barau encourages insecurity in the land. The main reason of Comrade Waiya’s blame against DSP.
The way I see it is, Mr Hafiz’s rebuttal is another play of politics with genuine and sensible arguments. While the original argument is, statement credited to DSP through Comrade Waiya’s press conference, when he blames the Senator for fueling insecurity through some unwanted statements. And DSP’s Media Aide, challenged Waiya to produce a clip authenticating that argument.
But Hafiz, I hope real name, comes with his rebuttal linking all the arguments with other factors, that are not originally within the purview of the discussion. In the argument, no one, either Waiya or Mudashir links the insecurity discussion with infrastructural process and development.
I still maintain my argument, Comrade Waiya only mentioned DSP Barau’s name by slip of tongue. That is why I shouldn’t pose any challenge to him. So I also advice Mudasshir to stop waiting for any evidence from Waiya and Kano state government, by extension. Because what he needs is not forthcoming. It cannot come around no matter how long he waits for it.
I rest my case.
Anwar writes from Kano
Saturday, 29th November, 2025