The Katsina State Police Command has confirmed the arrest and arraignment of security analyst and public affairs commentator, Usman Kurfi, following a petition by the Katsina State Government over allegations he made during a television interview.
The command’s spokesperson, DSP Abubakar Sadiq, said on Wednesday that the arrest followed a formal complaint submitted by the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Nasir Mu’azu.
According to the police, the petition arose from Kurfi’s allegation that the Katsina State Government sponsored bandits to participate in a pilgrimage, a claim the government had earlier denied.
“Yes, we arrested him following a formal complaint by the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Nasir Mu’azu, over his allegations that the state government sponsored bandits for pilgrimage,” Sadiq said.
He explained that the police acted on the complaint, conducted a preliminary investigation and subsequently charged the analyst to court.
“We arrested him yesterday, and today we charged him to court,” the police spokesperson said.
Sadiq added, “He was detained based on a petition written by the state government through the office of the Commissioner for Internal Security. The petition was based on his TV interview and the accusations he made.”
The police did not disclose the specific charges filed against Kurfi but said the matter had been taken before the court for determination.
Efforts to obtain reactions from Kurfi, his legal representatives and the Katsina State Government were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.
