Former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, has alleged that his former commissioner for education, Jafaru Sani, was arrested by security operatives shortly after he defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
In a post shared via his X handle on Thursday, El-Rufai claimed that the arrest was politically motivated and described the operatives involved as a “police kidnapping gang” allegedly working under the influence of Governor Uba Sani.
El-Rufai, who governed Kaduna from May 29, 2015, to May 29, 2023, said Sani was remanded in prison custody without a police First Information Report (FIR) or formal charges from the Kaduna State Ministry of Justice.
“Our colleague and former commissioner, Mallam Jafaru Sani, has been abducted in Kaduna by Uba Sani’s kidnapping gang, claiming to be the police.
He was remanded by a magistrate without an FIR or any formal charge,” El-Rufai wrote.
He further alleged that the charges brought against Jafaru Sani relate to money laundering — a federal offence — which, according to him, falls outside the jurisdiction of the state judiciary and police.
“Jafaru’s real offence appears to be his recent resignation from the APC and his move to the SDP. He was also nominated by me in August 2023 as a potential ministerial candidate to represent Kaduna State,” El-Rufai added.
The former governor drew parallels between Sani’s case and a previous incident involving another of his allies, Bashir Saidu, who was reportedly detained for 50 days after being arrested on December 31, 2024.
El-Rufai also criticized the Kaduna judiciary, claiming some magistrates and judges have compromised their independence.
“We are watching and waiting. No condition is permanent. One day, there will be accountability for every decision and action,” he said.
Efforts to reach the Kaduna State Police Command spokesperson, Mansir Hassan, for comment were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.
The development comes just days after El-Rufai publicly announced his departure from the APC and his defection to the SDP.
Tensions between El-Rufai and Governor Uba Sani have been building in recent months. The duo, once political allies, fell out after Sani assumed office in 2023.
The governor had earlier accused the El-Rufai administration of leaving behind a heavy debt burden that he said has affected the running of government in the state