Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has alleged that he may soon be arrested by the Federal Government, saying recent events suggest he could be the next target. He made the claim during an interview with BBC Hausa on Wednesday, where he raised concerns about what he described as increasing pressure and intimidation against opposition politicians in Nigeria.
El-Rufai, who recently left the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for the African Democratic Congress (ADC), said several of his close associates had already been detained. “Four people we worked with in Kaduna have been arrested; so it’s only a matter of time before they come for me too,” he said. While noting that he had not been arrested, he argued that the actions against his associates were a warning sign.
According to the former governor, politicians are being pressured to either remain in the APC or defect back to the ruling party. He claimed the current political environment leaves many with little choice but to act out of fear rather than principle, describing the situation as one driven by survival instead of conviction.
El-Rufai governed Kaduna State for eight years under the APC before becoming a vocal critic of President Bola Tinubu’s administration and the party’s leadership. His comments come amid the arrest and ongoing trial of former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, who is facing charges brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
The EFCC has accused Malami of offences including abuse of office and money laundering and later rearrested him over fresh allegations related to terrorism financing. Malami, who is also reported to have defected from the APC to the ADC, has denied all allegations, describing the case as a “political witch-hunt” linked to his defection and opposition stance.
As of the time of filing this report, the Federal Government and the APC had not issued an official response to El-Rufai’s claims.
