Court Orders El-Rufai to Pay ₦900m for Unlawful Detention of Adara Elders
Justice Hauwa’u Buhari of the Federal High Court in Kaduna has ruled that Nasir El-Rufai, former Kaduna State Governor, and five others should pay ₦900 million in damages for the unlawful detention of nine Adara elders in 2019.
Awemi Dio Maisamari and eight others were arrested and detained following the killing of Adara traditional ruler, Raphael Maiwada Galadima. The judge found that El-Rufai, who was sued in his personal capacity, ordered the arrests without legal grounds and dismissed preliminary objections challenging the court’s jurisdiction.
The elders were arrested during a town hall meeting convened by El-Rufai in Kajuru Local Government Area after the monarch’s death. Among those detained were a former commissioner and a retired police officer, who remained in custody for months until the Kaduna State Attorney General advised their release, citing lack of justification.
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El-Rufai, who governed under the All Progressives Congress (APC), recently defected to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and has been openly critical of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Reacting to the ruling, Gloria Ballason, counsel to the plaintiffs, described it as a legal milestone.
“This judgment is a watershed moment in the fight against executive lawlessness and human rights violations. It reaffirms that public office holders can be held accountable even after leaving office,” she said.
