The Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna has ordered the former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, alongside five others, to pay ₦900 million in compensation for the illegal detention of Adara community elders in Kajuru LGA back in 2019.
Justice Hauwa’u Buhari delivered the ruling in favour of Awemi Dio Maisamari and eight fellow elders who were arrested and held without justification in connection to the murder of their traditional leader, Raphael Maiwada Galadima.
El-Rufai, who was sued in his personal capacity, was held responsible for sanctioning the arrest and detention of the elders.
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The court rejected the respondents’ objections that questioned the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court and attempted to classify the matter as a tort rather than a fundamental rights issue.
Reacting to the judgement, the plaintiffs’ lead counsel, Gloria Ballason, hailed it as a significant legal win.
“This decision marks a pivotal moment in challenging executive impunity. It sends a clear message that those in power can be held accountable even after their tenure,” she stated.
The elders were apprehended during a 2019 town hall meeting called by El-Rufai, following the kidnapping and subsequent killing of their monarch.
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Among those detained were a former state commissioner and a retired police officer.
They remained in custody for several months until the Kaduna State Attorney General advised their release, citing a lack of legal grounds for their continued detention.
