Dalung Criticises El-Rufai’s Decision to Turn Himself In Ahead of Trial
Former Minister of Youth and Sports Solomon Dalung has criticised ex‑Kaduna State Governor Nasir El‑Rufai, saying that choosing to surrender to authorities ahead of his corruption trial was a miscalculation.
In an interview, Dalung claimed that the government’s attempt to arrest El‑Rufai at the airport was aborted after security officials feared it might trigger unrest. He argued that voluntarily presenting himself to security agencies undermined El‑Rufai’s position and labelled it “the greatest mistake” he had made as a political comrade.
Dalung added that in the context of political struggle, refusing to surrender would have forced security agencies to “suffer to get you,” making them more cautious, whereas El‑Rufai’s decision made him vulnerable.
However, Dalung also acknowledged a nuance in El‑Rufai’s choice, noting that turning himself in may have prevented authorities from building a stronger case against him.
El‑Rufai was taken into custody after being released on bail by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). He faces allegations related to inflated severance payments and suspicious foreign currency deposits.
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