Former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has raised concerns over what he described as a coordinated attempt to damage his reputation, following a report linking him to an alleged attack on a prosecution witness.
In a statement issued on Sunday by his media adviser, Muyiwa Adekeye, El-Rufai denied any involvement in the incident and described the claims as malicious.
The statement referenced a report published by The Nation on April 18, titled “El-Rufai’s trial: Gunmen invade principal witness home,” which alleged that a witness in an ongoing case reported an attack on his residence and linked it to his role in proceedings involving the former governor.
According to Adekeye, the publication contained “innuendos suggestive of a plot to frame Malam Nasir El-Rufai,” adding that such claims were intended to tarnish his image.
“Any objective reader would recognise the clear intent behind these statements: to smear Malam Nasir El-Rufai’s reputation, jeopardise his pending bail application at the Kaduna State High Court, and implicate him in serious capital offences,” the statement said.
El-Rufai maintained that he has “no connection whatsoever to the incidents described” and has directed his legal team to pursue defamation proceedings.
The statement also detailed recent developments involving the former governor, noting that he was invited by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on February 16, 2026, after an earlier attempt to arrest him at the Abuja airport.
He was subsequently detained and later transferred to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), where he remains in custody and has been arraigned in two separate high courts.
The statement described the situation as part of a broader pattern of targeting the former governor since 2023.
“Since 2023, Malam El-Rufai has been subjected to an appalling and sustained campaign of innuendos and vilification,” it said.
It further called for adherence to the rule of law and respect for due process.
“The rule of law must never be perverted into a tool of oppression. Legal processes should serve the ends of justice, not be employed to deny a citizen his fundamental right to liberty while he stands trial,” the statement added.
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