Timi Frank calls on US to step in amid El-Rufai, Ayeni arrests

Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, Timi Frank, has urged the United States government and the international community to step in and address the detention of Nasir El-Rufai, the former Governor of Kaduna State, and businessman Tunde Ayeni in Nigeria.

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As the Ambassador of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua to East Africa and the Middle East, Frank made this appeal in a statement released on Sunday, warning that Nigeria's anti-corruption agencies have become tools for political persecution.

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Frank cautioned that opposition figures in Nigeria are facing a pattern of targeted harassment ahead of the 2027 elections, and that nothing should happen to El-Rufai, who must be released in good health.

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He called on the United States government, the international community, and global human rights organizations to closely monitor the situation and intervene when necessary to protect Nigerians from intimidation, harassment, and abuse of state power.

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Frank warned that if any harm befalls El-Rufai after his release, the government, officials involved, and any judicial officer who facilitated his prolonged detention would be held accountable.

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He stated that the alleged plan to harm El-Rufai must be stopped immediately, and that the government, top appointees, and any collaborating judge should be held responsible if anything happens to him after his release.

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According to Frank, El-Rufai's detention, which has exceeded four months, is driven by his political influence and knowledge of the events surrounding President Bola Tinubu's election victory in 2023.

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Frank argued that El-Rufai's political weight and insider knowledge make him a target, particularly given his role in the political structure that worked towards President Tinubu's election in 2023.

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Regarding Ayeni, Frank said the businessman had been previously discharged by courts in EFCC cases, and that his current detention of roughly 30 days is a result of associates who have repositioned themselves within government circles.

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Frank alleged that Ayeni's experience appears to be a witch-hunt designed to weaken him due to his perceived support for the opposition, and that his friends and business associates who are close to government officials are behind his incarceration.

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Frank disclosed that he is compiling a list of government and security officials allegedly involved in the harassment and intimidation of opposition figures, which he plans to submit to the US government and other relevant international authorities.

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He called for targeted sanctions, including visa restrictions, asset freezes, and financial penalties, against any officials found culpable in undermining democratic freedoms.

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Frank cautioned that when citizens lose faith in democratic processes, instability, extremism, and social unrest often increase, and he emphasized the need for targeted sanctions against officials involved in abuses directed at opposition figures or the suppression of democratic freedoms.