A Federal High Court in Kaduna has ruled against former Governor Nasir El-Rufai and five others, ordering them to pay ₦900 million in damages for the unlawful arrest and detention of nine elders from the Adara community in Kajuru LGA in 2019.
Justice Hauwa’u Buhari delivered the judgment in favor of Awemi Dio Maisamari and eight other Adara leaders, who were detained without trial following the murder of their traditional ruler, the Agom Adara, Raphael Maiwada Galadima. The court held El-Rufai personally liable for authorizing their arrest.
The defendants, including state officials, had challenged the court’s jurisdiction, arguing that the case was a tort matter rather than a fundamental rights violation. However, Justice Buhari dismissed their objections, affirming the court’s authority to rule on the infringement of the plaintiffs’ liberties.
The elders—among them a former commissioner and a retired police officer—were arrested during a town hall meeting convened by El-Rufai after the monarch’s abduction and killing. They were held for months until the Kaduna Attorney General intervened, finding no legal basis for their continued detention.
Lead counsel Gloria Ballason hailed the verdict as a historic check on executive overreach, stating: “This judgment sets a critical precedent against abuse of power. It proves that no one, not even a former governor, is above accountability for rights violations.”
The ruling underscores judicial resistance to impunity while delivering long-awaited redress for the Adara community. Legal analysts expect the defendants to appeal the decision.
