A political storm has erupted in Kaduna as Senator Lawal Adamu Usman (Kaduna Central, PDP) has petitioned the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, seeking the arrest of Governor Uba Sani over the alleged unlawful detention of opposition leaders during the August 16 Chikun/Kajuru Federal Constituency by-election.
In a petition dated August 26, 2025, Senator Usman accused the governor of “crimes against democracy, unlawful persecution, and abuse of state power,” citing the arrest of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Princess Esther Asheu Velli Dawaki, and over 25 party chieftains.
According to the senator, heavily armed operatives stormed a hotel where PDP officials were lodged in the early hours of the election day, arresting Dawaki and her campaign director, Alhaji Shehu Aliyu Patange, while also confiscating ₦26 million meant for election logistics.
“The Governor of Kaduna State bears direct command responsibility for these acts, as security and anti-graft agencies acted under his political directive to unlawfully detain and persecute opposition figures,” Senator Usman said in the petition.
He argued that the clampdown violated a Peace Accord signed by political parties in the state and amounted to politically motivated persecution under Article 7 of the Rome Statute, which defines crimes against humanity.
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The PDP lawmaker urged the ICC to investigate, establish liability, and issue an arrest warrant against Governor Sani, warning that failure to act could embolden further attacks on Nigeria’s fragile democracy.
Independent reports confirmed that the PDP candidate and several officials remain in custody under the directive of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The senator’s petition, filed with sworn affidavits and supporting documents, has escalated tensions in Kaduna politics, drawing sharp attention to the state’s electoral battles.
As of press time, Governor Uba Sani and his spokespersons were yet to respond to the ICC petition.