Saharareporters has obtained documents which confirm that the Yar'Adua government did give specific instructions ordering Nigerian passport officials not to renew the passports of the former Minister of the Federal Capital territory, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, and his EFCC counterpart, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.

The first document is a letter signed by S. U. Abdulazeez on behalf of the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) on 15 September 2009, and addressed to the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign affairs, Ambassador Joe Keshi.

  Referring to a “continuous and unyielding campaign of calumny against the Federal Government abroad” by the two men, it said a decision had been taken “at the highest level” to deny them “consular assistance of any form.”

The second document is a cable signed by Ambassador Keshi two days later, on 17 September, addressed to the Nigerian High Commission in the United Kingdom and copied to “All Missions.”  Referring to the substance of the order from the NIA, it notes El-Rufai’s application in the United Kingdom.

“Consequently, you are hereby directed NOT to reissue the former FCT Minister with a new passport,” he said.

Recently, Mallam El-Rufai’s request to renew his passport at the Nigerian consulate in London was turned down.  His wife and children were also subjected to intimidation by security agencies at the Nnamdi Azikiwe international airport in Abuja as they returned from a visit to him in Dubai.

The unusual action taken to curtail the liberty of the duo to renew their passport is aimed at preventing them from traveling across the globe, where they are often in demand to speak about their experience in government and comment on the government of Yar’Adua, which faces tremendous criticism at home and abroad for its mediocrity.


Much like the Abacha regime of the 1990s, the Yar’Adua government has become an international pariah amongst the comity of nations on account of its shielding of corrupt international fugitives and its high level of disregard for human rights.  While the government has become paranoid about El-Rufai and Ribadu, it also has harassed bloggers it considers hostile.  Analysts say the effort to deny nationals their right to passports anywhere in the world is a worrying new trend.  

Recently, Yar'adua was conspicuously missing from the annual UN General Assembly. Instead he went to Saudi Arabia for medical treatment, but lied to Nigerians that his mission was to attend the opening of the King Abdallah University of Science and Technology (KAUST).  While Yar'Adua did spend a few hours at that event, he was in Saudi Arabia for four days.

What a sick President

Nigeria is finished!! the few people who can do good,aren't given a chance to do so.

This must be fake document, because I believe the nigeria government can not be stupid not to know the nigeria constitution clearly state that nobody has the power to do that. They can impreach Yar Adua based on this if the story is true. See the constitution.

No nigerian can be denied his citizen and his right. All you yahoo boys. It cant be true or is it. It is impreachment if that happen for any president. Read constitution.
you people much have made it up. show me prove.

why una dey waste time with dis kind article? nobody dey implicated here, especially yar'adua. de letter no mention president anywhere and all dem need to do na to say de document false and case closed.

if government claim say de document fake, how sahara go prove am? sahara reporters and sowore need to grow up and take their journalism to de next level. many of their stories dey too journalistically uncivilized.

de foolish government sef! dem forget say dem get sovereignty inside any of their embassies for any country.

if dem wan catch el rufai, make dem just lure am say him passport don ready, but make him come pick am up or tell am make him come for another interview. once him enter embassy, dem go arrest am. shikena!

nobody for dat government fit touch el-rufai or ribadu. ribadu enter nigeria dem no arrest am, una sabi why? na because if court case start, de accused go reveal damaging information wey fit bring de whole government down.

Nigeria is finished!! the few people who can do good,aren't given a chance to do so.

@shola2009,
you deserve a place in the entertainment sector of our country - comedy to be precise.
do you know what it means to be obj boys? these are high way robbers.
these where the two police dogs obj used to harrass opositions in his days.
why running to the uk and usa? they shld be here to finish what they started.
let them get british or american passports as international criminals that they are.
ribadu a police man shld come out and tell nigerians where he gets all the money he spends running from one country to the other and living the kind of live he is living.
a patrotic nigerian who is not ready to answer to accusations.

chidichris - Ribadu is from a rich family (as are most of these northern boys in power)! Ever heard of Ribadu Road? (((( Not to hijack this thread, but the northerners do a better job preserving their wealth and pass them on with less controversy than in the south. Witness Abiola, FRA Williams, etc ))))


Though I understand your sentiments, but apart from family wealth, he also won several international awards that had monetary rewards! Most of his trips are typically sponsored and have expenses paid for by the organizers! You may not have liked him at home as an "errand boy" of OBJ, but he did a good job building his image to western recognition, he will never be short of "charitable money".

ndu_chucks:

why una dey waste time with dis kind article? nobody dey implicated here, especially yar'adua. de letter no mention president anywhere and all dem need to do na to say de document false and case closed.

if government claim say de document fake, how sahara go prove am? sahara reporters and sowore need to grow up and take their journalism to de next level. many of their stories dey too journalistically uncivilized.

de foolish government sef! dem forget say dem get sovereignty inside any of their embassies for any country.

if dem wan catch el rufai, make dem just lure am say him passport don ready, but make him come pick am up or tell am make him come for another interview. once him enter embassy, dem go arrest am. shikena!

nobody for dat government fit touch el-rufai or ribadu. ribadu enter nigeria dem no arrest am, una sabi why? na because if court case start, de accused go reveal damaging information wey fit bring de whole government down.

My Friend Junju, how is Akuya amd Ms Kike ? and the numerous other names I cant mention cos of time

Punch Newspaper has confirmed this Story today

http://punchng.com/Artic.aspx?theartic=Art200910102362065

becomrich,:

This must be fake document, because I believe the nigeria government can not be stupid not to know the nigeria constitution clearly state that nobody has the power to do that. They can impreach Yar Adua based on this if the story is true. See the constitution.

No nigerian can be denied his citizen and his right. All you yahoo boys. It cant be true or is it. It is impreachment if that happen for any president. Read constitution.
you people much have made it up. show me prove.

Punch Newspaper is lying too and it must be a fake document

http://punchng.com/Artic.aspx?theartic=Art200910102362065

Olodo. 

I DID NOT KNOW THE PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA HAD THE RIGHT TO SAY THAT A NIGERIAN BY BIRTH AND ANCESTRY IS NO LONGER A NIGERIAN ANYMORE.

SO MUCH FOR DEMOCRACY

IF YOU HOLD A DIFFERENT OPINION TO THAT OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE DAY THEN YOU ARE NO LONGER A NIGERIAN AND SHOULD BE DENIED A NIGERIAN PASSPORT. I THOUGHT THE RIGHT TO DISSENT WAS A FUNDAMENTAL PART OF DEMOCRACY?

This is how petty Yar'adua's Government has become, they arrest bloggers and deny people passport for not being supporters of Government. Obasanjo was not this petty!!!!!!

I think this Government memo should be sent to the United Nations. The only way they can deny it is if El-Rufai is granted a passport before 10:00am on Monday morning.

Nigeria is now a full fledged BANNANA Republic. Its important for the rest of the world to know this.

This is coming from the same Government making noise about rule of law.

It is not constitutional possible? read the nigeria constitution.

Look you want to tell me, Turai does not abuse Yar Adua after many begging in the night, Turai allah i beg now.

Turai reply  now you know how to call allah, since morning you are been taken care of government matter, now you want me to take care of you.

Yar Adua reply Turai , turai, you are the fura in my tea, when i wake up, if there is no suna in morning, all i think about is your wonderful face

Turai reply foolman oya come.

This is the man una dey call your excellency O.

Is that not abuse. I know there is a mistake here. Every nigerian have abuse yar adua, even obasanjo, IBB and others.  So how many passport are they going to hold. The constitution clear state noone can be denied their passport.

Na or this yahoo boys sending emai, everywhere. Some even claim they are yar adua. but he put his telephone to be aba.

How can yar adua now relocate the Aso rock to Aba. Another send me, email, She is the wife of abacha. I called her in port harcourt and joking I told her, I am abacha. I miss her. make she no mind them , I store some money for her inside kirikiri prison. Would she be willing to travel to lagos tomorrow.

Next thing I heard O yara. she hang the phone.

Na 419 boys document,