Former Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung, has criticized Nasir El-Rufai, saying the prominent figure in the African Democratic Congress (ADC) made a “serious mistake” by surrendering himself to security agencies.

Dalung made the comment while alleging that the Nigerian government is wary of the former Kaduna State governor, which he believes contributed to El-Rufai’s arrest and detention.

Speaking during an interview on Trust TV, Dalung claimed that authorities had earlier attempted to arrest El-Rufai at the airport but were unsuccessful.

According to him, “The government is afraid of El-Rufai and believed he might take certain actions, so they decided to arrest him.”

The former minister added that attempts to apprehend El-Rufai could have triggered unrest. He argued that El-Rufai chose to downplay his role and voluntarily surrender, which he described as a major error.

“Comrades do not surrender. Once you give up during a struggle, it often leads to regret. It is a known principle in any struggle. When people pursue a cause, they become very cautious,” Dalung said.