Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, on Monday evening declared that his administration has zero tolerance for individuals or groups seeking to destabilise the state, warning that conflict merchants would be dealt with in accordance with the law.
The governor said Kaduna remains a diverse and delicate polity that must be carefully managed to sustain peace and security.
Sani spoke while hosting heads of security agencies to an Iftar, the Muslim breaking of Ramadan fast, at the Government House in Kaduna.
He maintained that although his administration welcomed constructive criticism from opposition figures, it would not condone the deliberate spread of falsehood to incite unrest.
“We can tolerate criticisms from the opposition, but we will not condone situations where people spread falsehood in order to foment crisis,” the governor said.
He cautioned against the abuse of freedom of speech, stressing that it should not be used as a cover to disseminate fake news capable of causing violence.
“Freedom of speech is not a licence to spread fake news that will lead to loss of lives and property,” he stated.
“Some people just sit down in the comfort of their homes and start spreading rumours through social media. People should not hide under freedom of speech to cause trouble. We will not accept that in Kaduna State,” Sani added.
The governor warned that those he described as conflict merchants would face legal consequences.
“We will deal with conflict merchants who want to disrupt the present peace in Kaduna State in the name of politics within the ambit of the law,” he said.
According to him, Kaduna is home to people of different ethnic and religious backgrounds who have coexisted peacefully over the years.
He assured residents that his administration would continue to protect the state’s tradition of hospitality and accommodation.
Sani also drew attention to the approaching political season, noting that party primaries are expected to commence in April and end in May, in line with the timetable released by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
He warned that politicians who lose out in the contests might attempt to play the victim by spreading misinformation to cause confusion.
“Those who lose elections may try to dish out all sorts of falsehoods to create tension. You must be vigilant,” he told the security chiefs.
The governor further called for enhanced synergy between security agencies, local government chairmen, traditional rulers, and religious leaders to strengthen grassroots intelligence gathering.
He commended the security agencies for their focus, commitment, and cooperation with his administration, noting that Kaduna had not recorded any ethno-religious crisis since he assumed office.
Although he described the state as relatively peaceful, Sani said his government remained open to new strategies to tackle lingering security challenges such as banditry and kidnapping.
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