In a high-stakes display of executive solidarity, President Bola Tinubu has issued a glowing endorsement of National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu, hailing him as a “bold and courageous” leader in the nation’s war against terror.
The President’s remarks, delivered Monday during an official visit to Yola, Adamawa State, come at a critical juncture for the administration as it grapples with a deepening legal and political feud involving former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai.
“Honest, Bold, and Courageous”
Speaking at the inauguration of several multi-billion naira infrastructure projects executed by Governor Ahmadu Fintiri, Tinubu took a moment to specifically laud Ribadu—a native of Adamawa—for his performance since taking office in June 2023.
“I must say it clearly here that you are doing an excellent job, and we are seeing the results,” Tinubu declared. “With you, we will defeat the bandits and terrorists. You are a good National Security Adviser; honest, bold, courageous, and committed to the job. I believe the state of Adamawa is proud of you, because I am too.”
The President’s vote of confidence is seen by many as a strategic “shield” for Ribadu, whose office has recently come under fire from El-Rufai, a former key ally of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The El-Rufai Conflict: Espionage and Allegations
The public endorsement serves as a sharp counter-narrative to a series of explosive claims made by El-Rufai. The former governor recently alleged that the NSA’s office was involved in the procurement of “dangerous chemicals,” a charge the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) dismissed as baseless, urging El-Rufai to provide evidence to the Department of State Services (DSS).
The tension reached a breaking point last week following an incident at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, where security operatives reportedly attempted to detain El-Rufai upon his return from Cairo.
In a subsequent television interview, El-Rufai made a startling admission: he claimed to have accessed wiretapped conversations in which Ribadu allegedly instructed security agents to arrest him. While El-Rufai framed the interception as a necessary defensive measure, the Federal Government has moved swiftly to prosecute.
Legal Fallout
On Monday, the same day as Tinubu’s Yola visit, the DSS officially filed a three-count charge against El-Rufai at the Federal High Court in Abuja. The charges, brought under the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act 2024, accuse the former governor of:
- Unlawful interception of the NSA’s telephone communications.
- Public disclosure of classified security-related dialogue.
- Threatening national security through unauthorized espionage.
The Road Ahead
As the Presidency doubles down on its support for Ribadu, the legal battle with El-Rufai marks one of the most significant internal fractures within the Nigerian political elite in recent years. For Ribadu—the first non-military NSA in decades—the path forward involves balancing the kinetic war against insurgency with a high-profile legal fight against a former political heavyweight.
With Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope” agenda now firmly tethered to Ribadu’s success, the outcome of this feud may well define the administration’s security legacy.
