A Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna has ordered the immediate past Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, and five others to pay ₦900 million in damages for the unlawful detention of nine Adara community elders in Kajuru Local Government Area.
Justice Hauwa’u Buhari delivered the judgment in favour of Awemi Dio Maisamari and eight other elders who were arrested in 2019 following the murder of the Adara traditional ruler, Raphael Maiwada Galadima. The court ruled that the arrests, ordered by El-Rufai in his personal capacity, constituted a violation of their fundamental human rights.
The plaintiffs—among them a former commissioner and a retired police officer—were held for several months without formal charges. Their eventual release was based on legal advice from the state’s attorney general, who found no justification for their continued detention.
In her ruling, Justice Buhari also struck out preliminary objections by the defence, which had argued that the case was rooted in tort law and outside the court’s jurisdiction. The judge affirmed that the matter was properly brought before the court as a fundamental rights enforcement case.
Reacting to the verdict, lead counsel to the plaintiffs, Gloria Ballason, hailed the judgment as a historic win for human rights and the rule of law.
“This judgment is a watershed moment in the fight against executive lawlessness and human rights violations,” she said. “It reaffirms that public office holders can be held accountable even after leaving office.”
The ruling is seen as a major precedent in reinforcing judicial oversight over executive actions, particularly in cases involving prolonged detention without trial.
