The political landscape in Nigeria has once again been set ablaze as Bashir El-Rufai, son of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, launched a scathing attack on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, warning that his father’s arrest would be the biggest mistake of the current administration. The younger El-Rufai, in a fiery post on X (formerly Twitter), referred to Tinubu as “Pablo Escobar,” a reference that has since stirred intense political debates and rekindled past controversies surrounding the Nigerian leader.
This latest outburst follows allegations by Nasir El-Rufai that the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, is plotting to arrest him. The former governor, once a close ally of President Tinubu, has since found himself on the sidelines of power after being nominated for a ministerial position but ultimately rejected by the Senate. In a statement shared on his X handle, El-Rufai hinted at a long-standing scheme to detain him, referencing previous high-profile detentions under the current government, including that of former Central Bank Governor Godwin Emefiele.
“I have been hearing these same rumours of arrest, detention, and torture in some dungeon in the NSA’s office since July 2024 when the so-called report of the Kaduna Assembly began circulating,” El-Rufai stated. Shortly after, his son Bashir took to X with a defiant warning: “Na the biggest mistake Pablo Escobar & his henchmen will make.”
Though he did not explicitly name Tinubu in his post, many Nigerians quickly drew connections, given past allegations linking the president to a drug-related forfeiture in the United States. In the 1990s, Tinubu was reported to have forfeited $460,000 to U.S. authorities following an investigation into a narcotics trafficking network. This past controversy resurfaced during the 2023 presidential election, with political opponents frequently referencing it.
The reference to “Pablo Escobar” — the infamous Colombian drug kingpin — has sparked widespread reactions on social media. Many users recalled how both El-Rufai and his son were vocal supporters of Tinubu’s presidential bid, with photos and videos of them campaigning for him in 2023 now circulating online. Some critics accused them of hypocrisy, pointing out that their grievances only surfaced after El-Rufai was denied a ministerial position.
“For context: Pablo Escobar is one of history’s most prolific drug traffickers. His drug empire popularized Colombia as a drug trafficking hub,” one user wrote, drawing parallels to the allegations against Tinubu. Another posted an old photo of Tinubu and El-Rufai in a vehicle together, captioning it, “See Bashir’s father and ‘Pablo Escobar’ when the going was good. Is like the proper fight is about to commence.”
The backlash continued as users questioned the timing of El-Rufai’s attack on the president. “So you know Pablo Escobar is a drug-dealing imbecile, yet you supported him?” one person tweeted. Another added, “Your father answered questions for him at Chatham House and shielded him from scrutiny. Now you suddenly realize he’s ‘Pablo Escobar’?”
El-Rufai, known for his outspoken nature, has remained a controversial figure in Nigerian politics. His fallout with Tinubu’s administration has been brewing since his failed ministerial bid, and tensions escalated further when the Kaduna State House of Assembly launched a probe into his tenure as governor, accusing his government of financial mismanagement. Many believe this latest attack is a reaction to the ongoing probe and an attempt to preempt any legal action against him.
With political divisions widening and power struggles intensifying within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), this latest drama underscores the fragile alliances that define Nigerian politics. Whether Tinubu’s government will move forward with the alleged plan to arrest El-Rufai remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: the rift between the former governor and the president is far from over.
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