‘El-Rufai Is Paying the Price’: Shehu Sani Revisits Former Governor’s Years in Power

By Taibat Ummi Yakubu

Former Kaduna Central Senator Shehu Sani has waded into the controversy surrounding the detention and legal battles of ex-Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, saying the former governor is now facing consequences for what he described as the failures and excesses of his eight-year administration.

Sani made the remarks during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he was asked to respond to concerns in some opposition circles that El-Rufai had become a “prisoner of conscience” amid his ongoing legal battles.

El-Rufai has faced separate cases involving alleged financial misconduct and alleged unlawful interception of telephone communications involving National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu. In the wiretapping case, a Federal High Court in Abuja on September 22, 2026, adjourned until October 26 to rule on the former governor’s no-case submission. El-Rufai has pleaded not guilty to the amended five-count charge.

Sani, who recalled his own experience of spending more than four years in detention as a pro-democracy activist, said he understood the hardship associated with imprisonment and prolonged custody.

“I don’t think anyone can lecture me on detention, on the pains of imprisonment, and staying in the Gulag for such a very long time,” he said.

But while acknowledging the hardship of detention, Sani argued that El-Rufai’s present circumstances should also be considered against the backdrop of his years in office as Kaduna governor between 2015 and 2023.

“He is paying the price of his misgovernance and his irresponsibility when he was in public office,” Sani said.

The former senator alleged that El-Rufai’s administration frequently clashed with critics and opponents and accused the government of using state institutions against people who challenged its policies.

Sani cited several individuals whom he said were arrested or detained during the former governor’s tenure, including journalist Luka Binyat, whom he said was detained after reporting on the Kaduna State Government.

He also referred to Christian leaders from Kajuru Local Government Area, saying they were detained after protesting the killing of their leader, as well as Islamic clerics from Zaria who, according to him, were arrested following protests over the retrenchment of workers from the state civil service.

Sani further mentioned Kaduna State University lecturer John Danfulani and LEADERSHIP newspaper reporter Maida Joseph as other cases he said reflected the administration’s treatment of critics.

He also alleged that members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria spent years in detention during the period.

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“When people are in power, they forget that a day will come when they will be out of power,” Sani said.

Sani Rejects Claims That El-Rufai Is Being Unfairly Blamed Over Insecurity

The former lawmaker also rejected suggestions that criticism of El-Rufai’s record on insecurity in Kaduna was excessive or misplaced.

He argued that the prolonged violence in parts of Southern Kaduna demonstrated, in his view, that the measures adopted by the former administration were insufficient to protect residents.

Sani specifically mentioned communities and local government areas including Sanga, Kauru, Kachia and Kagarko, alleging that residents endured years of attacks by terrorists and bandits.

“It is a fact that terrorists and bandits have been killing people in Southern Kaduna for over a decade without any intervention from the state government,” he said.

He also alleged that the former administration failed to provide sufficient support to security agencies operating in affected communities.

“There was never a time where the government that was led by Nasir El-Rufai provided support for the police, for the army, for the civil defence, or took any serious measure to end that violence or to stop that bloodshed,” Sani alleged.

His comments come weeks after Defence Minister Christopher Musa also criticised El-Rufai’s handling of insecurity and accused his administration of contributing to divisions in Southern Kaduna. Musa's comments have been strongly disputed by El-Rufai's lawyers, who demanded a public retraction and ₦10 billion in damages, describing the allegations as false and defamatory.

Banditry, Detention and a Political Reckoning

Sani also revisited the controversy surrounding statements attributed to El-Rufai on negotiations with bandits, describing the former governor as inconsistent in his public position on how the security crisis should be handled.

He recalled that Binyat had previously reported allegations concerning payments to bandits and was subsequently arrested, using the episode to reinforce his broader criticism of the former administration.

However, the allegations remain matters of political dispute, with El-Rufai's legal team previously rejecting claims that he paid bandits and disputing other accusations made against his administration.

Meanwhile, El-Rufai continues to challenge the legal actions against him in court. In the wiretapping case, the DSS has completed its prosecution, while the former governor's defence has asked the court to dismiss the case on the grounds that the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case. The court is expected to rule on the application on October 26.

The former governor has also filed separate legal actions challenging aspects of his detention and treatment in custody, including a ₦10 billion suit against the ICPC over alleged denial of access to family members.