Monday, April 20, 2026 - Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, on Sunday, alleged a fresh plot to implicate him in criminal activities, warning of what he described as coordinated efforts to damage his reputation and frustrate his release on bail.
The former governor is expected to appear before the Kaduna
State High Court on Tuesday, April 21, for a ruling on his bail application.
The trial judge, Justice Darius Khobo, had fixed the date
after hearing arguments from counsel.
But in a statement issued by his Media Adviser, Muyiwa
Adekeye, El-Rufai warned of “malicious orchestrations” allegedly aimed at
ensuring his continued detention.
He recalled an incident on February 12, 2026, when he
claimed there were plans to arrest him upon his arrival at the Abuja Airport
from Cairo.
According to him, the episode marked the beginning of what
he termed a troubling pattern.
The statement added that he honoured an invitation by the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on February 16.
It noted that he was subsequently detained before being
transferred to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences
Commission on February 18.
El-Rufai’s camp also faulted a report published in a
national daily (not The PUNCH) on April 18, titled “El-Rufai’s trial: Gunmen
invade principal witness home.”
The report quoted a witness, Mohammed Umar Karage, as
alleging that gunmen attacked his residence.
Karage reportedly suggested that the incident might be
linked to his role in the ongoing trial and an attempt to silence him.
He also drew parallels with the disappearance of
Kaduna-based activist, Abubakar Idris Dadiyata.
El-Rufai, however, denied any involvement, describing the
insinuations as false and defamatory.
The statement said the publication was aimed at tarnishing
his image and weakening his pending bail application.
“Any objective reader would recognise the clear intent
behind these statements: to tarnish his reputation and justify his continued
detention,” the statement read.
Maintaining his innocence, the former governor insisted he
had no connection with the alleged attack.
He disclosed that his legal team had been directed to
commence defamation proceedings against the newspaper.
The statement further alleged that since 2023, El-Rufai had
been subjected to sustained “innuendos and vilification” despite his record in
public service.
It warned against what it described as the weaponisation of
legal processes and called for adherence to the rule of law.
“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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