Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufai recently suspended his plans for further studies abroad, citing an alleged plot by President Bola Tinubu to arrest him.
However, former presidential aide Reno Omokri has alleged that the real reason behind el-Rufai’s decision is his fear of potential prosecution by former U.S. President Donald Trump, who has recently returned to power.
El-Rufai has been a controversial figure, particularly for his public admission of paying off armed herdsmen and his threats against European election observers, which have reportedly placed him under scrutiny in the United States.
On Thursday, February 7, 2019, el-Rufai issued a warning to European Union election observers ahead of Nigeria’s February 16, 2019 presidential election, stating:
> “We are waiting for the person who will come and intervene. They will go back in body bags because nobody will come to Nigeria and tell us how to run our country.”
Omokri stared that the statement, coupled with el-Rufai’s previous admission regarding payments to killer herdsmen, has heightened his fears of traveling to the United States, particularly after Trump announced his intention to take action against leaders who have targeted Christians.
On Thursday, February 6, 2025, Trump’s administration reportedly established a task force to track and prosecute individuals responsible for religious persecution. Just five days later, el-Rufai unexpectedly declared that he was canceling his plans to study abroad, attributing his decision to an alleged move by President Tinubu to have him arrested.
Omokri added that el-Rufai avoided visiting the U.S. throughout Trump’s first term (2016–2020).
He noted that el-Rufai’s history of inflammatory remarks and violence during his tenure played a significant role in his recent rejection by the Senate for a ministerial position in Tinubu’s administration. Hw said the Senate specifically cited his “reckless” statements and the extreme bloodshed under his watch as key reasons for rejecting his nomination.
Omokri also emphasized that el-Rufai’s rejection came from the Senate, not President Tinubu. “This is not the first time he has faced such resistance—he was also rejected when President Olusegun Obasanjo nominated him for a ministerial position in 2003, though he was eventually cleared after a protracted political process,” he said.
According to Omokri, the timing of el-Rufai’s decision to remain in Nigeria can not be ignored. “With Trump’s task force now operational, his decision to stay put seems less about Tinubu and more about avoiding potential international legal consequences,” he said.
Concluding his argument, Omokri declared:
> “Nasir el-Rufai’s cup is full. His sins have found him out. The blood of the thousands of Christians and Shiites killed while he reigned as the Butcher of Kaduna has cried out for justice.”
