Former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has raised fresh concerns over what he described as a coordinated attempt to implicate him in criminal activities and prolong his detention.
El-Rufai, in a statement issued on Sunday by his media aide, Muyiwa Adekeye, alleged that recent developments point to “malicious orchestrations” aimed at tarnishing his reputation and undermining his legal standing.
The former governor recalled that the alleged plot dates back to February 12, 2026, when he was reportedly targeted for arrest upon arrival at the Abuja airport from Cairo, describing the incident as an early indication of what he termed sustained persecution.
He further disclosed that he honoured an invitation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on February 16, after which he was detained and subsequently transferred to the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission two days later.
El-Rufai’s latest alarm followed a report alleging that gunmen invaded the residence of a principal witness in an ongoing case before a Kaduna State High Court.
According to the report, the witness, identified as Mohammed Umar Karage, suggested that the attack might be linked to his role in the trial and could be an attempt to silence him.
However, El-Rufai’s camp dismissed the insinuations as “false and defamatory,” accusing the publication of deliberately linking him to the incident without evidence.
The statement read in part, “Any objective reader would recognise the clear intent behind these statements: to tarnish his reputation and justify his continued detention.”
Maintaining his innocence, El-Rufai insisted he had no connection to the alleged attack and directed his legal team to initiate defamation proceedings against the newspaper involved.
He also alleged that since 2023, he has been subjected to a sustained campaign of “innuendos and vilification,” despite his record in public service.
The former governor warned against what he described as the misuse of legal processes, stressing that the rule of law must not be weaponised against citizens.
“El-Rufai should be accorded full due process guaranteed by law, and the persistent disregard for his rights must cease immediately,” the statement added.
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