Former Kaduna State governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, has alleged that the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led federal government may arrest him.

El-Rufai, a chieftain of the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC), stated this in an interview with BBC Hausa on Wednesday, February 11.

The former governor, who has recently stepped up his criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s administration and the APC under which he was governor for eight years, said although he has not yet been arrested, some of his close associates have been detained.

“Four people we worked with in Kaduna have been arrested; so it’s only a matter of time before they come for me too,” El-Rufai said

His comments come amid the arrest and ongoing trial of Nigeria’s former Attorney-General, Abubakar Malami, who remains in custody.

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, is reportedly preparing to join the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and serve as the running mate of former Vice President Abubakar Atiku for the 2027 presidential election.

According to former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose, Makinde met with Atiku in Minna, Niger State, in a private session to discuss the possibility.

The meeting also involved former Head of State Ibrahim Babangida.

During the discussions, Makinde is said to have agreed to support Atiku’s bid in exchange for being named the party’s vice-presidential candidate.

Makinde reportedly promised to contribute 10 billion naira in two installments to help the party get started and indicated he would provide more funds once the campaign officially begins.

He is also said to have committed to influencing Southwest delegates in the party’s primary and using connections in the South-South region to secure votes.

Observers believe that Makinde’s involvement could help ADC gain an advantage by splitting votes in the Southwest during the general election.

A follow-up meeting has been scheduled to take place in Dubai within the next two weeks, where the details of the partnership are expected to be finalized.

Five members of the United States Congress have presented a bill that could lead to visa bans and asset freezes against former Kano State governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, and two other groups or individuals over alleged attacks on Christians in Nigeria.

The proposed law, known as the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026, was introduced by Chris Smith, Riley Moore, Brian Mast, Mario Diaz-Balart and Bill Huizenga.

The bill seeks to hold certain persons and groups accountable for what the sponsors describe as serious violations of religious freedom.

If passed, the legislation would require the US Secretary of State to give regular reports to Congress on Nigeria’s record in protecting religious freedom and the steps taken to safeguard communities facing attacks.

It would also direct US authorities to consider sanctions, security cooperation plans and humanitarian support to address the violence and prevent further attacks.

The lawmakers referred to figures showing that between 2009 and 2025, between 50,000 and 125,000 Christians were killed in Nigeria, while more than 19,000 churches were destroyed.

They also mentioned deadly incidents in Yelwata, the Christmas Eve attacks of 2023 and 2024, and the Holy Week and Easter attacks of 2024 and 2025.

According to the sponsors, these incidents left over 9,500 people dead, most of them Christians, and forced more than 500,000 others to flee their homes.

They cited a 2026 global watch list which states that Nigeria accounts for 72 per cent of Christians killed worldwide.

The bill also refers to cases such as Rhoda Jatau and Deborah Yakubu, who faced mob attacks, detention or death over allegations of blasphemy, while those responsible for the violence were rarely punished.

The sponsors said former US President Donald Trump redesignated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern due to religious freedom issues.

They argued that Nigerian authorities have often failed to stop religious violence or bring offenders to justice.

Under the proposal, the Secretary of State would assess whether some Fulani ethnic militias should be classified as Foreign Terrorist Organisations.

The US Departments of State and Treasury would also be expected to apply Global Magnitsky sanctions on individuals or groups found responsible for grave violations of religious freedom.

These measures could include visa restrictions and freezing of assets.

The legislation also recommended that the United States provide humanitarian aid, with financial support from the Nigerian government, through trusted civil society and faith-based groups operating in the Middle Belt region.

It called for cooperation with countries such as France, Hungary and the United Kingdom to support peace efforts and protect freedom of worship.

The lawmakers stated that future relations between the United States and Nigeria would depend on how the Nigerian government responds to the allegations of violence.

They added that Nigeria has the capacity to help stabilize the Sahel region and build stronger ties with Washington if it takes firm steps to stop attacks and protect vulnerable communities.