Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has rejected a report by The Nation newspaper linking him to an armed invasion of the residence of Mohammed Umar Karage, a principal witness in his ongoing corruption trial. In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Muyiwa Adekeye, El-Rufai described the report as a malicious fabrication aimed at justifying his re-arrest. The article, published on 18 April 2026, stated that Karage reported to police that armed individuals had invaded his home, allegedly in connection with his testimony in one of nine corruption charges against El-Rufai involving land revocation. Karage reportedly suggested the attack could be an attempt to silence him, drawing reference to the disappearance of activist Abubakar Idris Dadiyata.
El-Rufai's statement dismissed the allegations as false imputations designed to damage his reputation and influence judicial proceedings. He claimed the report was intended to undermine his bail application at the Kaduna State High Court. El-Rufai was granted bail on 14 April 2026 by the Federal High Court in Kaduna, after being in detention since 18 February 2026. The court, presided over by Justice Rilwanu Aikawa, set bail at N200 million with two sureties. He and Joel Adoga were arraigned by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on charges they denied. El-Rufai stated he has instructed his legal team to file defamation proceedings over the article. He also referenced a previous attempt to arrest him at Abuja Airport on 12 February 2026.
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