El-Rufai and Ribadu Political Dispute
Analysis based on 9 articles · First reported Feb 17, 2026 · Last updated Feb 18, 2026
This political dispute in Nigeria, involving prominent figures and allegations of corruption and abuse of power, could lead to increased political instability and uncertainty. While not directly impacting financial markets, it could affect investor confidence in Nigeria's governance and rule of law.
A public dispute has escalated between former Nigeria===Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai and National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu. El-Rufai has accused Ribadu of ordering his 'abduction' and influencing anti-corruption investigations for political reasons, including an alleged 2031 presidential ambition. He also raised concerns about the procurement of thallium sulphate by the Office of the National Security Adviser. Ribadu has denied all claims, asserting the independence of anti-corruption agencies. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, a former Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu, has advised El-Rufai to focus on clearing his name from corruption allegations and expressed sadness over the deterioration of the relationship between the two men. The Federal Government, through the Nigeria===State Security Service (Nigeria), has filed cybercrime charges against El-Rufai, and he is also under investigation by the Nigeria===Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for alleged corruption during his governorship.
Set up alerts, explore entity relationships, search across thousands of events, and build custom intelligence feeds.
Open Dashboard