El-Rufai Exposes Alleged Kaduna Govt Plot To Jail His Former Aides

El-Rufai Exposes Alleged Kaduna Govt Plot To Jail His Former Aides

Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has accused Governor Uba Sani’s administration of interfering in the ongoing corruption cases involving two of his former aides, alleging deliberate efforts to obstruct their release from detention.……READ MORE 

In a post on his X account on Thursday, El-Rufai claimed that the cases against Bashir Sai’du and Jimi Lawal, both of whom served under his administration, have been politicized, describing the trials as selective persecution targeting his loyalists.

Ireporteronline reports that the two former aides are facing corruption charges filed by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC). On January 21, 2025, the Federal High Court in Kaduna granted bail to Lawal and three others charged with fraud and financial crimes.

However, El-Rufai alleged that the Kaduna State Government has ensured only his allies are prosecuted, while individuals loyal to Governor Sani remain untouched. “Since early 2024, many from my administration have been selectively targeted by anti-corruption agencies,” El-Rufai wrote. He claimed others avoided scrutiny due to their positions in the current government, raising questions about the fairness of the process.

El-Rufai further alleged that Sai’du was illegally detained on December 31, 2024, by armed police officers reportedly acting on Governor Sani’s orders. Sai’du was swiftly arraigned in a magistrate court in Rigasa and remanded in Kaduna Prison until his court appearance in January.

El-Rufai claimed that after the ICPC filed charges against Sai’du and Lawal, the Uba Sani government filed an additional case against Sai’du at the State High Court.

Despite bail being granted, El-Rufai accused the Kaduna State Geographic Information Service (KADGIS) of obstructing the verification of Certificates of Occupancy (C-of-O)—a key bail requirement. He claimed that KADGIS suspended verification services immediately after the bail was granted, effectively preventing the release of his former aides.

“This move blatantly violates court orders, as multiple reminders from the Court Registry to KADGIS officials have been ignored,” El-Rufai alleged. He also claimed that a judge, in the absence of Justice Aikawa, refused to sign the release order, suggesting possible interference from higher authorities or political pressure.