The Arrest of Dr. Bashir Kurfi: A Mistake That Was Made Worse by the Involvement of Opposition Politicians

By Aliyu Abdulhadi, PhD

I watched Dr. Bashir Kurfi's interview with Trust TV on YouTube. In my opinion, anyone who watches the interview objectively is likely to conclude that it was simply a case of "a mistake that was not corrected in time."

Before this interview, Dr. Kurfi had granted another interview following a meeting in Katsina that was reportedly disrupted by thugs. In that interview, he also made a number of allegations, yet the government did not take any action against him at the time.

The first mistake, in my view, was that Dr. Kurfi should have recognized that he is an activist, a university lecturer, and a political figure. Every public statement he makes should therefore reflect his position and be backed by credible evidence.

However, in this interview, he appeared to make serious allegations hastily and without legally verifiable proof. The claims seemed to rely more on speculation and public gossip than on evidence that could stand legal scrutiny.

Secondly, matters relating to national security—particularly those involving terrorism and armed banditry—are extremely sensitive in Nigeria and should never be treated lightly. Many prominent Nigerians have been invited or questioned over statements relating to security. There are numerous examples. General T.Y. Danjuma once alleged that some members of the military were collaborating with bandits, prompting widespread calls for security agencies to invite him for questioning. Similarly, former Governor Joshua Dariye lost his office amid security-related issues. Security matters are serious and should be handled with the utmost responsibility, even though they are frequently debated in the Nigerian media.

Thirdly, the involvement of opposition politicians further complicated the situation. Rather than focusing on resolving the matter, political interests appeared to take center stage. Since a mistake had already been made, the priority should have been to seek reconciliation, because dialogue and goodwill are often the best ways to resolve such issues.

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The first opposition figure to speak on the matter was Ahmed Babba Kaita, the ADC governorship candidate. He was followed by Dr. Mustapha Inuwa, the PDP governorship candidate aligned with the Tanimu Turaki faction, and Senator Yakubu Lado, the PDP governorship candidate associated with the Nyesom Wike faction. Even some prominent Katsina elders who commented on the issue were, upon closer examination, affiliated with opposition political parties.

This development led many within the government, the ruling party, and some independent activists to question whether Dr. Kurfi had the backing of opposition parties. As a result, debates about whether he had political links with opposition groups in his criticism of the Katsina State Government gained momentum across social media platforms.

According to media reports, one of the reasons Dr. Kurfi was denied bail at the initial court appearance was his alleged failure to submit a written statement to the police. If that account is accurate, it would represent another mistake on his part.

Another question worth asking is: What was the government's fault if it reportedly gave him an opportunity to retract his statements before taking the matter to court, but he failed to do so? If the government had chosen not to pursue legal action, many would have interpreted that as weakness, and the issue would likely have continued to be used as a reference point against it. With elections approaching, the matter would almost certainly have been used repeatedly as a political campaign issue. From that perspective, the government acted to defend its reputation through legal means.

My Recommendation

If the genuine intention is to help Dr. Kurfi, respected and impartial elders should intervene, seek clemency on his behalf, encourage dialogue, and work towards an amicable resolution.

Nevertheless, based on the contents of the interview, I believe this was indeed a mistake that was not corrected in time.

Aliyu Abdulhadi, PhD is a university lecturer and a member of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Abuja Branch.