A Federal High Court in Kaduna has ruled against former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai and five others, ordering them to pay N900 million as compensation for the unlawful arrest and detention of Adara community leaders in 2019.
The judgment, delivered by Justice Hauwa’u Buhari, came after a lawsuit filed by Awemi Dio Maisamari and eight other Adara elders from Southern Kaduna, who were allegedly detained without justification following the killing of their traditional leader, Dr. Raphael Maiwada Galadima.
Justice Buhari found El-Rufai directly accountable for authorizing the arrests and declared him personally liable for the N900 million awarded to the applicants.
In addition, the Nigeria Police Force, the Inspector-General of Police, and the Kaduna State Police Commissioner were jointly fined N10 million in general damages and another N10 million in special damages.
Speaking on the ruling, the applicants’ legal representative, Gloria Mabeiam Ballason, praised the decision as a bold step toward justice and accountability.
“This judgment is a major blow to unchecked executive power. Immunity should not be an excuse for violating citizens’ rights,” she said.
The suit, filed after El-Rufai’s tenure ended, named him as a private individual. The Adara elders, including former commissioner Bawa Magaji and a retired police chief, were arrested in the aftermath of Galadima’s assassination, amid allegations that they posed a threat to security in Kajuru.
However, they were eventually released when the Attorney General concluded there was no evidence linking them to the crime.
Attempts to obtain a response from the respondents’ lawyer, Solicitor General J.A. Danazumi, were unsuccessful as he declined to comment.
Leave a Reply