Kaduna Erupts: El-Rufai’s Supporters Swarm Federal Court

Supporters of former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, stormed the Federal High Court premises in Kaduna on Tuesday as he faced arraignment by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) over alleged money laundering.

According to Ireporter Online, the arraignment comes amid growing pressure from political stakeholders and chieftains of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) regarding El-Rufai’s continued detention. A video circulating online showed his supporters chanting and holding placards outside the court premises.

Meanwhile, 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, condemned El-Rufai’s detention, describing it as political persecution. Speaking at an ADC stakeholders’ meeting in Kaduna, Obi emphasized that the law requires anyone accused of wrongdoing to be treated with dignity until proven guilty. He stated, “It is political persecution. We have a law, and that law allows for people to be treated with dignity until they are found guilty. Let our law prevail. How do you tell somebody you’re inviting him, and he came back voluntarily to the country, and you’re treating him like somebody who was running away? Let the law run its course.”