Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai
The immediate-past Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, raised the alarm, on Tuesday, about an alleged plot by the government to arrest, detain and torture him like they allegedly did to the ex-governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele.
The ex-governor and chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress claimed the plot to arrest and detain in a dungeon in the office of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, over his constant criticisms of the government.
El-Rufai made the claims while reacting to concerns raised by one of his supporters, Imran U. Wakili, in a post on his verified X handle on Tuesday.
Wakili had said he was hearing rumours that El-Rufai might be arrested and responding to him, El-Rufai said he was aware of the plot, as messages had been sent to him through his relations.
El-Rufai stated, “I have been hearing these same rumours of arrest, detention, and torture in some dungeon in the NSA’s office (where Emefiele was allegedly tortured to resign as CBN governor) since July 2024 when the so-called report of the Kaduna Assembly began circulating.
“They freaked out when we challenged the legality of the premeditated defamation and went to every length to compromise the judicial process, and this is continuing at the Court of Appeal.
“They have sent similar messages of intimidation and threats through many of my friends, family, and political associates because they want me to go on self-imposed exile. I will not,” the former governor said.
According to him, the arrest and torture plot was to scare him and make him go on self-imposed exile.
He, however, said he would remain in the country as he was not afraid of arrest, torture or death.
He said, “They have sent such similar messages of intimidation and threats through many of my friends, family and political associates because they want me to go on self-imposed exile. I will not.
“I have now put all my previous academic and language-learning plans on hold and will spend more time in Nigeria than ever before. Silence is no longer golden. Inaction has never been an option.
“The arrest, detention and torture of perceived political enemies are nothing new in human affairs. I have been arrested and detained thrice in the past for expressing my views of previous governments. There is always a morning after the arrest, detention or torture, and political life continues.
“As for death, it is when Allah destines it, and it is ultimately the date of every human.”
He called on “the pathetic characters that don’t sleep well whenever I am in Nigeria,” to note that he would return to the country by February 20.
“We fear no mortal but Almighty Allah. We always hope for the best but plan for the worst,” he said.
El-Rufai, who lost out in his bid to become a minister in President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet after the Senate declined to clear him over ‘security concerns,’ has recently been vocal in his criticisms of the Federal Government.
The former governor has also been having a running battle with the Uba Sani-led government in Kaduna State, as some of the appointees of the immediate past administration were being probed over mismanagement allegations.
Speaking recently in Abuja at a democracy conference, El-Rufai criticised the APC and the quality of leadership emerging from political parties.
He described the state of governance and opposition in Nigeria as a “national emergency” and urged opposition parties to unite and form a broad coalition to challenge the ruling party.
His statement drew the ire of the Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, who asked if El-Rufai would have criticised the government if he were to have got a cabinet appointment.
El-Rufai also dabbled into a verbal war between a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, Naj’atu Muhammad, and Ribadu, over a claim that Ribadu labelled Tinubu as corrupt during his stint as the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Declaring his support for Naj’atu’s claim, El-Rufai accused the Ribadu of “serious amnesia” over his denial of past comments allegedly made against President Bola Tinubu.
“Nuhu must have serious amnesia. The record of proceedings in the Senate will confirm that Nuhu made those statements sometime in 2006. A Daily Trust report from February 2007 reconfirms the essence of the statements,” El-Rufai posted.
Both El-Rufai and Ribadu served under former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
While Ribadu served as the EFCC boss, El-Rufai was the Chairman of the Bureau of Public Enterprises and later the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
In his Tuesday post on X, El-Rufai said he was arrested and detained three times by previous governments, adding that arrest, detention, and torture of perceived political enemies were nothing new in human affairs.
