By Ogungbayi Adeyemi S. | adeyemi@ddnewsonline.com
Editor, DDNews |
Former Minister of Aviation Femi Fani-Kayode has launched a scathing attack on former Kaduna State Governor and ex-FCT Minister Nasir El-Rufai, alleging serious human rights abuses and attempts to silence the media during his time in office.
In a lengthy post on his Facebook page on Monday, March 16, 2026, Fani-Kayode claimed that El-Rufai tried to shut down African Independent Television (AIT), owned by the late media mogul Raymond Dokpesi, and illegally seize the land on which the station was built along with surrounding property for which AIT held valid Certificates of Occupancy.
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According to Fani-Kayode: “El-Rufai did not just attempt to close down AIT and seize the land on which it was built; he also illegally confiscated large swathes of surrounding land which AIT had paid for and for which it had valid certificates of occupancy. He also knocked down some of their buildings without due process and against court orders.”
He further alleged that after being directed to stop harassing Dokpesi and AIT, El-Rufai allegedly planned to burn down the television station and attribute the fire to an electrical fault.
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“Had it not been that we intervened, ensured the plan was aborted and threatened to report the matter to President Obasanjo, AIT would have been burnt to the ground and the cause of the fire would have been attributed to an electrical fault,” he wrote.
Fani-Kayode named several senior officials in the Obasanjo administration who allegedly opposed and helped stop the plan, including: Former Chief of Staff to the President, Abdullahi Mohammed, Former Presidential Spokesperson, Remi Oyo, Former EFCC Chairman, Nuhu Ribadu, Former Political Adviser to the President, Akin Osuntokun and Former Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Uba Sani.
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He contrasted this with the Obasanjo era, claiming critics like the late Sam Nda-Isaiah (founder of Leadership Newspaper) were engaged in public debate rather than persecuted.
Fani-Kayode also expressed concern over recent comments attributed to El-Rufai regarding the alleged importation of chemical weapons into Nigeria, urging security agencies to investigate thoroughly.
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“I may be wrong, but this must be looked into and we must not take any chances,” he said.
The post comes amid El-Rufai’s ongoing legal battles with anti-graft agencies and his vocal criticism of the current administration following his defection to the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
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Neither El-Rufai nor his representatives have issued an immediate response to the fresh allegations as of press time. AIT and the Dokpesi family have also not commented publicly on the claims.
This is a developing story.
DDNewsOnline – Lagos
By Ogungbayi Adeyemi S. (Beedee)
Send tips to: adeyemi@ddnewsonline.com
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