“We will go to Supreme Court” – El Rufai on Audu

The Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai has said the award of N40 million in damages against him and the Nigerian police by a federal high court in Abuja in favour of Chocolate City boss, Audu Maikori, will not stop the “criminal trial” of Maikori.

El-Rufai said the judgement would be appealed, insisting that neither him nor the Nigerian police had erred in the arrest and detention of the music entrepreneur.

“The state government can file complaints, but it is the business of the police to make arrests following the normal procedures,” said the spokesperson for El-Rufai, Samuel Aruwan.

“Our lawyers will study the judgement and take the appropriate steps. We will appeal up to the Supreme Court if necessary.”

In his ruling on Friday in the fundamental human rights enforcement suit filed by Maikori on May 5, 2017, Justice John Tsoho said the rights of the Chocolate City Group’s boss had been violated.

“The arrest was improper, irregular and wrongful. By necessary implication, the arrest was unlawful despite being released after 24 hours,” he said.