CLAIM: Kaduna Governor, Sani Orders Police Arrest of Nasir El-Rufai

On January 1, 2025, Sahara Reporters, a prominent Nigerian news outlet, made a post on X claiming that former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, had been arrested on the orders of the current Governor of Kaduna State, Uba Sani. 

The X post was captioned, “Kaduna Governor Sani Orders Police Arrest of El-Rufai,” with a link to a Sahara Reporters article.

The now deleted post and article caught the attention of NV-A and we went on to verify its authenticity, considering Nasir  El-rufai is the immediate past governor of the state. We also took into account El-Rufai’s controversial policies while in office and his continued influence in the country.

VERIFICATION

Keyword searches regarding the arrest revealed Governor Uba Sani did not order the arrest of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai. 

News reports confirmed that it was Bashir Saidu, the former Chief of Staff to El-Rufai, who was arrested by Operation Fushin Kada on December 31, 2024. 

Bashir Saidu was apprehended in the Rigachikun area of Kaduna during an ambush operation. He was later arraigned at a magistrate’s court in Rigasa on charges including money laundering and the illegal sale of government properties. Nasir El-Rufai was neither mentioned nor implicated in the arrest or related allegations.

While Bashir Saidu’s arrest has also been reported by Sahara Reporters, there has been no official statement from Governor Uba Sani or any Kaduna State Government representative implicating El-Rufai. There is no evidence or credible report indicating that El-Rufai himself was arrested.

CONCLUSION

The claim that Governor Uba Sani ordered El-Rufai’s arrest is MISLEADING. The person arrested recently is Bashir Saidu, a former aide to ex-governor, Nasir El-Rufai.