Bashir Saidu, the former Chief of Staff to ex-Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State, was arrested on Tuesday by operatives of Operation Fushin Kada, formerly known as Operation Yaki.
Sources revealed that Mr. Saidu, a close ally of Mr. El-Rufai, was apprehended near Rigachikun after a reported ambush near his residence at Coronation Crescent in Kaduna.
He was subsequently taken to the Operation Fushin Kada office on Constitution Road, where he provided a statement.
Mr. Saidu was later arraigned at a magistrate’s court in Rigasa, facing allegations of money laundering and involvement in selling 12 government properties.
Despite denying the charges and providing what his supporters described as a “satisfactory statement,” the court declined his bail application. Magistrate Muhammad Lawal Musa ordered his remand at Kaduna Central Prison and adjourned the case until January 21, 2025.
Critics of the arrest have accused the state government of using security operatives for political purposes.
“It’s concerning that Operation Fushin Kada, meant to protect citizens from bandits and kidnappers, is now handling politically charged cases,” a source commented.
Reports suggest that several political allies of the former governor are facing legal actions from agencies like the EFCC, ICPC, or the state government.
Efforts to reach the spokesperson for Governor Uba Sani, Ibraheem Musa, were unsuccessful at the time of this report.
