11th February 2025
The former Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, on Tuesday, alleged that he might soon be arrested and tortured in one of the offices of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
El-Rufai and Nuhu Ribadu’s camp had for some days been locked in a heated verbal war after a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, Naja’atu Muhammad, claimed in a viral TikTok video that Ribadu, during his tenure as Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, once labelled the now President Bola Tinubu as corrupt.
Ribadu, through his lawyer, Dr. Ahmed Raji, SAN, in a strongly worded letter, refuted the allegations, describing the damage from the video as “unquantifiable” and demanded a retraction and public apology.
But El-Rufai, in a post on his X handle, had slammed Ribadu, accused him 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.
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He further referenced the Federal Executive Council conclusions from 2006, suggesting they contain evidence of Ribadu’s allegations against Tinubu and others.
Responding to concerns raised by one of his supporters Hon. Imran U. Wakili, on X, on Tuesday morning, El-Rufai said he had been hearing rumours of his imminent arrest, detention, and torture from the NSA’s office since July 2024, when the Kaduna State House of Assembly indicted him for fraud.
El-Rufai, said despite three previous arreste and detention by previous governments, vowed he would not go on self-imposed exile because of the looming threat.
El-Rufai posted “Dear Imran @IU_Wakilii, your post below refers. 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. This is continuing at the Court of Appeal.
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“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.
“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.”
He further wrote “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 on previous governments.
“There is always a morning after the arrest, detention, or torture, and political life continues. As for death, it comes when Allah destines it, and it is ultimately the fate of every human.
“For the attention of the pathetic characters who don’t sleep well whenever I am in Nigeria, take notice that I intend to return in time for the launch of President IBB’s memoirs, in sha Allah, scheduled for February 20.
“We depend on no one but Allah. We fear no mortal but Almighty Allah. We always hope for the best but plan for the worst. Thanks, @IU_Wakilii, for your concern, but remember that what will be, will always be. He concluded.
