Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has alleged a coordinated effort to implicate him in criminal activities and frustrate his release on bail, just days before a court decision on his application.
El-Rufai is scheduled to appear before the Kaduna State High Court on Tuesday, April 21, where Justice Darius Khobo is expected to rule on his bail request after hearing arguments from legal counsel.
In a statement issued on Sunday by his Media Adviser, Muyiwa Adekeye, the former governor warned of what he described as “malicious orchestrations” aimed at ensuring his continued detention and damaging his public image.
He cited an incident on February 12, 2026, alleging there were plans to arrest him upon arrival at Abuja Airport from Cairo, which he claimed marked the beginning of a troubling sequence of events.
According to the statement, El-Rufai honored an invitation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on February 16, after which he was detained. He was later transferred to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission on February 18.
The former governor also criticized a report published on April 18 by a national daily, which alleged that gunmen attacked the residence of a principal witness in his trial. The witness, Mohammed Umar Karage, reportedly suggested the incident might be connected to his role in the case and an attempt to silence him, drawing comparisons with the disappearance of Kaduna-based activist Abubakar Idris Dadiyata.
El-Rufai, however, denied any involvement in the alleged attack, describing the claims as false and defamatory. His media team argued that the report was intended to tarnish his reputation and weaken his chances of securing bail.
“Any objective reader would recognise the clear intent behind these statements: to tarnish his reputation and justify his continued detention,” the statement said.
Maintaining his innocence, El-Rufai said he had no connection to the reported incident and disclosed that his legal team had been instructed to initiate defamation proceedings against the newspaper involved.
The statement further alleged that since 2023, the former governor has faced sustained attacks and vilification despite his record in public service. It warned against what it described as the misuse of legal processes and called for strict 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.
