Rumours of plans to arrest, detain me won’t force me into self-exile —el-Rufai

A former governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir el-Rufai, on Tuesday said he was aware of the alleged plans to arrest, detain and torture him whenever he returns to the country.

He, however, said the rumoured plan to arrest and detain him was meant to force him to go into self-exile, promising to return to Nigeria for the launch of the memoirs of a former military president of Nigeria, General Ibrahim Babangida scheduled for February 20.

The former governor, in a statement on his verified X account, said he had heard about moves to detain and torture him in the same facility where the immediate past Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele was allegedly tortured to resign from office.

According to el-Rufai, the plan to silence him has been on since July 2024 when the report of the investigation of the Kaduna State Assembly into his eight years administration began circulating.

He added that he had received many messages meant to threaten and intimidate him through his friends, family members and political associates.

The chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) said, “I have been hearing these same rumors of arrest, detention and torture in some dungeon in the NSA’s office (where Emefiele was allegedly tortured to resign as CBN governor), since July 2024 when the so-called report of the Kaduna Assembly began circulating.

“They freaked out when we challenged the legality of the premeditated defamation and went to every length to compromise the judicial process, and this is continuing at the Court of Appeal.

“They have sent such similar messages of intimidation and threats through many of my friends, family and political associates because they want me to go on self-imposed exile. I will not.

“I have now put all my previous academic and language-learning plans on hold and will spend more time in Nigeria than ever before. Silence is no longer golden. Inaction has never been an option.

“The arrest, detention and torture of perceived political enemies are nothing new in human affairs. I have been arrested and detained thrice in the past for expressing my views of previous governments.

“There is always a morning after the arrest or detention or torture, and political life continues. As for death, it when Allah destines it, and it is ultimate the date of every human.

“For the attention of the pathetic characters that don’t sleep well whenever I am in Nigeria, take notice that I intend to return in time for the launch of President IBB’s memoirs, in sha Allah, scheduled for 20th February.

“We depend on no one but Allah. We fear no mortal but Almighty Allah. We always hope for the best but plan for the worst”.