CLAIM: Former Governor El-Rufai Removed 300 District Heads and Traditional Chiefs While His Successor Reinstated Them
Umoh Umoh
There is a circulating claim that the former governor of Kaduna state, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai ousted over 300 district heads and traditional chiefs/kings in southern Kaduna
On February 9, 2025, the claim was shared on X by the user, @MgajiInnocent stating that, “FOR THE RECORDS: El-Rufai removed more than 300 District Heads and Traditional Chiefs/Kings in Southern Kaduna. Governor Uba Sani restored most of them back to their Chiefdoms. This is part of the reason El-Rufai is attacking him nonstop.”
As of the time this report was published, the post had about 154,000 views, 66 replies, over 950 retweets and quotes, about 2,800 likes and 110 bookmarks. In the comment section, @Nrs_Idreeserh replied saying, “He removed them saving Kaduna state’s money. Saying this is one of the reasons he is attacking him is nonsense. Restoring them is achievements to you? Munafuki”, while @OLABIM2533691 said, “Part of the reason we are having some peace”.
VERIFICATION
As of May 2017, when Mallam El-Rufai was the governor of Kaduna state, there were 390 district heads, 5,854 village heads, 399 council members and 1,152 staff in the 32 emirates and chiefdoms spread across the 23 local government areas of the state, with about 4,447 out of the 5,854 village heads not on the payrolls of the local government councils.
Image Credit: Daily Trust
The committee for restructuring of traditional institutions recommended to the state government that over 3,121 district and village heads, comprising 194 district heads, 2,927 village heads in Kaduna State should be decommissioned. It was recommended by the committee that the positions of these district heads, village heads, and council members and staff were redundant and had a negative impact on local government revenue and finances.
However, in June 2017, the state government disclosed that the state was returning to the 77 districts and 1,429 village units structure that existed prior to 2001. By May 2018, the Kaduna state government had announced the appointment of District Heads for the 77 restructured districts. This move reduced the district heads by 87 percent and village heads by 76 percent.
In February 2023, the Kaduna state government under El-rufai’s administration approved eight district heads for Zazzau Emirate Council which is located in Zaria. But in a new twist, Governor Nasir El-Rufai approved the deposition of the traditional rulers of Piriga and Arak Chiefdoms, His Highness Jonathan Paragua Zamuna and His Highness General Aliyu Iliyah Yammah, respectively, on May 22, 2023.
Did Governor Sani reinstate sacked traditional rulers and district heads?
Governor Uba Sani has reinstated only one traditional ruler deposed by his predecessor. In January 2025, Governor Sani reinstated Chief Jonathan Zamuna as the Paramount Chief of Piriga in Lere Local Government Area, following a court judgment in June 2024 that nullified his earlier removal.
However, there is no publicly available information indicating that Governor Sani has restored other traditional rulers deposed by El-Rufai or that he has reinstated some district heads and chiefs.
CONCLUSION
The claim that the immediate past governor of Kaduna state removed over 300 district heads and traditional chiefs/kings in southern Kaduna alone is TRUE as findings showed that he reduced district heads from 390 to 77, village heads from 5,854 to 1.429 and deposed two traditional rulers. However, it is MISLEADING to say that the incumbent governor, Uba Sani restored most of them as he only reinstated one traditional ruler and has not approved the addition of new district or village heads in Kaduna state.
