The legal team representing former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, has officially refuted recent media claims alleging that a Federal High Court in Kaduna imposed a ₦900 million judgment against their client in a human rights abuse lawsuit.
In a detailed statement dated June 4, 2025, and signed by Sule Sheikh Umoru, a Partner at the law firm A.U. Mustapha & Co., the legal representatives clarified emphatically that no such financial penalty or any judgment at all has been entered against El-Rufai in the matter.
The lawsuit in question, filed under Suit No: FHC/CS/23/2024, was heard by Justice H. Buhari. It involved six respondents, with Mallam Nasir El-Rufai named as the 1st Respondent.
The other respondents included the Governor of Kaduna State, the Nigeria Police Force, the Inspector General of Police, the Kaduna State Commissioner of Police, and the Kaduna State Attorney General.
According to Sule Sheikh Umoru, El-Rufai was completely unaware of the lawsuit until the case was publicized in the media, as he had never been formally served with any court documents or notices to attend hearings related to the case. This lack of notification meant that the former governor had no prior opportunity to respond to or participate in the proceedings.
Following the publication of the media reports, the legal team secured a Certified True Copy (CTC) of the court’s judgment on June 4, 2025. The delay in obtaining this official document was attributed to a strike by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), which temporarily hampered court operations.
Upon review of the CTC, El-Rufai’s lawyers confirmed that the court did not hold him liable in any way and had not issued any monetary award against him.
The statement further highlighted that the judgment acknowledged an alleged comment made by El-Rufai during a meeting with the Adara community.
In that meeting, El-Rufai reportedly referred to the applicant, Awemi Dio Maisamari, as “part of the problem.” However, the court found no evidence directly connecting El-Rufai to the applicant’s subsequent arrest.
The judgment explicitly noted that the applicant was required to provide evidence proving that it was El-Rufai who ordered his arrest through the intermediaries represented by the 3rd to 5th Respondents—the Nigeria Police Force, the Inspector General of Police, and the Kaduna State Commissioner of Police. The applicant failed to produce such evidence, leading the court to dismiss claims linking El-Rufai to the arrest.
Regarding the monetary awards, the lawyers clarified that the compensation and damages ordered by the court were directed solely at the Nigeria Police Force and related law enforcement officials. These awards included ₦10 million in compensation, ₦10 million in general damages, and a reimbursement of filing costs upon presentation of valid receipts.
The legal team condemned the media reports as “false and misleading,” urging journalists and media outlets to verify legal outcomes through proper official channels before publication. They emphasized that such erroneous reporting not only misinforms the public but also undermines trust and confidence in the judicial system.
To further support their claims, the legal team attached a copy of the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgment to the press statement, inviting the media and the public to review the document firsthand.
The case arose from the events following the murder of Dr. Raphael Maiwada Galadima, the paramount ruler of the Adara people. In 2019, the applicants were arrested and detained under orders from El-Rufai, who accused them of being threats to security in Kajuru Local Government Area. Among those detained were notable figures, including a former commissioner, Bawa Magaji, and a former police commissioner.
READ MORE: El-Rufai Held Liable for Illegal Detention, Ordered to Pay N900m