Former Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai has vowed that those behind the ‘kidnap’ and detention of his former Chief of Staff and close friend, Bashir Saidu, will pay dearly during the 2027 general election in the state.
El-Rufai who made the declaration following Saidu’s release from detention after spending 50 days behind bars, insinuated that the abduction and detention of his ally was politically motivated because he is the dominant political force of Kaduna North and Central senatorial districts.
Saidu who served as El-Rufai’s CoS and a personal friend of the erstwhile governor, was arrested in December 2024 and arraigned at the Federal High Court in Kaduna, by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) alongside one Ibrahim Muktar, a civil servant in the state’s Ministry of Finance, on two counts of money laundering.
According to the charges, Saidu was alleged to have accepted a cash payment of N155m from Muktar in March 2022, exceeding the legally permitted amount, and indirectly took control of the funds, which he reasonably ought to have known were proceeds of corruption.
The Kaduna All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain who announced the release of Saidu in a post on his X handle on Wednesday night, promised to reveal the role of some policemen in Bashir’s abduction.
Describing his ally’s detention as ‘unjustified incarceration’, he wrote:
“After 50 days of abduction and unjustified incarceration, Bashir Saidu is now free and at home.
“Bashir has been my friend for over 53 years – a Barewa College classmate, former Commissioner of Local Government, and of Finance, and former Chief of Staff.
“A grassroots politician, sound technocrat, and true public servant, Bashir largely dominates the progressive politics of Kaduna North and Central Senatorial Districts from the days of APP, ANPP, CPC and the APC.
“That is the main reason behind his persecution, and the payback to those behind it will be known on or before the 2027 elections, in sha Allah.
“The role of some policemen in the abduction as well as the conduct of some Judges of the Federal High Court, and the State High Court, in obstructing and delaying bail for clearly bailable offenses was quite enlightening and will be tabled in the court of public opinion – when all the facts are assembled. Please stand by for some interesting insights. Thank you. – @elrufai.”
