Sultan of Sokoto Urges Tinubu to Release or Charge El-Rufai, Questions US Troop Deployment in North

The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, has called on President Bola Tinubu to either formally charge former Kaduna State Governor, Nasiru El-Rufai, or release him while investigations continue.

In a sermon shared on X by Islamic scholar Sanusi Khalil, the Sultan emphasized due process, stating: “Nasir should either be arraigned before a competent court or released on bail while investigations continue. The Sultan is not saying a perpetrator should not be punished; rather, he is requesting that due process be followed.”

The Sultan also raised concerns over the deployment of American troops in Northern Nigeria, questioning whether their presence is strictly for training Nigerian forces or if a permanent base is planned. “If a base is going to be provided for them, then why must it be established in Northern Nigeria?” Khalil quoted the Sultan.

Sheikh Khalil expressed support for the Sultan’s stance, highlighting the importance of leaders asking difficult questions: “We at our level can’t ask such hard-hitting questions, it might be tagged as disrespectful, but I am glad leaders like the Sultan are asking the right questions, and he will always have our support and prayers.”

Meanwhile, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) clarified that El-Rufai’s detention aligns with an existing court order. Spokesperson Okor Odey noted that the commission appeared in court on Tuesday to respond to El-Rufai’s March 6 application seeking to overturn a remand order issued on March 5.

“All actions taken so far were in strict compliance with the law, including the provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015,” Odey stated, explaining that the initial court order allowed 14 days for detention and investigation, which was later extended.

The Sultan’s intervention has intensified public debate on both procedural justice and the implications of foreign military presence in Northern Nigeria.