Audu Maikori, founder and chairman of Chocolate City Entertainment Group, has publicly accused former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai of persecuting him over a tweet he later acknowledged was inaccurate, took down, and led to his alleged organized abduction.

Ina recent interview clip widely shared on social media platforms including X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram, Maikori recounted the events from 2017, describing them as outright persecution rather than legitimate law enforcement action.

US Troops Have Arrived Bauchi State, Defense HQ confirms.

“A governor shouldn’t do the job of the police,” Maikori stated. “My driver confessed he had lied about the information he gave me. I was let go by the police, and the next weekend, El-Rufai was trying to link my tweet with the possible death of 7 people.”He further alleged: “What I went through with El-Rufai was persecution… they (Police) released me and then he (Nasir El-Rufai) came back and organised for me to be abducted.

“The allegations stem from Maikori’s February 2017 tweet, which reportedly commented on security incidents in Southern Kaduna amid ethnic and religious tensions. Maikori claimed he corrected and deleted the post after realizing it was based on faulty information from his driver.

Maikoriwas first arrested in Lagos on February 17, 2017, on charges related to incitement and spreading inflammatory material. He was transferred to Abuja for questioning, released briefly, and then rearrested on March 10, 2017. Courts later ruled the arrests and detentions unlawful.In 2018, a Federal High Court declared the actions improper and awarded damages.

The Court of Appeal upheld this in June 2020, affirming that the Kaduna State Government violated Maikori’s rights and ordering compensation.The resurfacing of these claims coincides with ongoing public exchanges involving El-Rufai. In late January 2026, Maikori had labeled El-Rufai a “sore loser” in response to the former governor’s criticism of unlawful detentions under the current administration, citing the court rulings on his own case.

The2017 incident highlighted concerns over freedom of expression, state overreach, and handling of communal conflicts in Kaduna State. Maikori, a lawyer, entrepreneur, and activist, has since positioned himself as a vocal critic of such practices.No immediate response from El-Rufai or his representatives to the latest allegations was available at the time of this report.

The matter continues to generate discussion on social media, with supporters praising Maikori for speaking out and others revisiting broader criticisms of El-Rufai’s tenure as governor.