Former Minister of Youth and Sports Solomon Dalung has criticised the decision of former Kaduna State governor Nasir El Rufai to surrender himself to security agencies ahead of his trial, describing it as a major strategic error.
Speaking during an interview on Trust TV, Dalung claimed that authorities had initially attempted to arrest El Rufai at the airport but were unsuccessful. According to him, the government feared that a forceful arrest could trigger unrest, prompting a more cautious approach.
Dalung argued that El Rufai’s voluntary submission weakened his position in what he described as a political struggle. He maintained that surrendering too early exposed the former governor to possible humiliation and reduced his leverage.
He said that in struggles of this nature, individuals who allow themselves to be easily apprehended often lose strategic advantage. Dalung insisted that resistance, rather than compliance, typically compels authorities to act more carefully.
However, he later offered a more balanced perspective, suggesting that El Rufai’s action may have also disrupted the plans of investigators. According to him, by surrendering early, the former governor may have denied authorities the time needed to properly assemble charges against him.
Dalung alleged that investigators are now attempting to build a case after taking El Rufai into custody, claiming the foundation of the trial is weak and legally questionable.
El Rufai was re arrested by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission shortly after being released by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, which had earlier detained him over corruption allegations.
He was later arraigned on charges including alleged inflated severance payments amounting to 579.7 million naira and dollar deposits totaling 817900 in his domiciliary account.
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