El-Rufai alerts on alleged plot to keep him in detention

Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has alerted the public to alleged plot to link him to a criminal activity in order to prolong his detention

In a statement issued on Sunday by his Media Adviser, Muyiwa Adekeye, El-Rufai alleged “malicious orchestrations” against him, as part of troubling pattern to deny him bail.
He traced his February 12, 2026 arrest on his return from Egypt, his honouring of the invitation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on February 16, and subsequent detention and transfer to the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on February 18.
According to him, the latest concern stems from a report published on April 18 by The Nation, titled “El-Rufai’s trial: Gunmen invade principal witness home.”
The newspaper report detailed claims by one Mohammed Umar Karage, a witness in an ongoing case at the Kaduna State High Court, that armed men had invaded his residence.
While acknowledging the civic duty of citizens to report crimes, El-Rufai accused the newspaper of going further to publish what he described as “false imputation” and insinuations linking the incident to the former governor.
The newspaper report quoted the witness as suggesting the attack might be connected to his role in the trial and could be an attempt to silence him, drawing comparisons with the controversial disappearance of Kaduna-based activist, Abubakar Idris Dadiyata.
El-Rufai rejected the claims, arguing that the publication was deliberately crafted to smear his image, undermine his pending bail application, and implicate him in serious offences.
“Any objective reader would recognise the clear intent behind these statements: to tarnish his reputation and justify his continued detention,” the statement said.
Maintaining his innocence, El-Rufai described himself as a law-abiding citizen with no connection to the alleged incident and revealed that his legal team has been instructed to initiate defamation proceedings against the newspaper.

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The statement also alleged that since 2023, the former governor has been subjected to a sustained campaign of “innuendos and vilification,” despite what it described as his record of public service and contributions to national development.

It warned against the misuse of legal processes, stressing that the rule of law must not be turned into a tool of oppression.

“El-Rufai should be accorded full due process guaranteed by law to every citizen, and the persistent disregard for his rights must cease immediately,” the statement added.

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