Arresting My Father Would Be the Biggest Mistake – Bashir El-Rufai Warns

Bashir El-Rufai, son of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, has warned the federal government that arresting his father would be their biggest mistake. He gave the warning via a post on social media platform X. His comments have sparked controversy, especially as he appeared to reference President Bola Tinubu by calling him “Pablo Escobar,” a name associated with the infamous Colombian drug lord. The warning comes amid speculation that the federal government, through the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, is planning to arrest Nasir El-Rufai. The former governor, who was once a close ally of Tinubu, has been at odds with the administration since his ministerial nomination was rejected by the Senate. Reports have suggested that his growing criticism of the government has put him in the spotlight for possible political retaliation. Reacting to these reports, Bashir El-Rufai took to X to issue a warning, saying, “Na the biggest mistake Pablo Escobar & his henchmen will make.” Although he did not mention President Tinubu by name, many social media users interpreted the statement as a direct attack on the president, given the long-standing controversy surrounding Tinubu’s past involvement in a U.S. narcotics case. In the 1990s, Tinubu was linked to a drug-related case in the United States, which led to the forfeiture of $460,000 to U.S. authorities. His political opponents have often used this case against him, despite his insistence that he was never convicted of any crime.