By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa
The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has condemned the continued detention of former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, describing the legal limbo surrounding his case as a violation of his fundamental rights.
El-Rufai has remained in custody since February 16, 2025, when he voluntarily honoured an invitation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Although the EFCC granted him bail a week later, he was immediately re-arrested by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) upon his release.
The situation was further complicated on Wednesday when the Department of State Services (DSS), which had filed criminal charges against the former governor over allegations of intercepting the communications of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, failed to produce him in court. The secret police informed the presiding judge that El-Rufai was still being interrogated by the ICPC, leading to an adjournment of the case until April 23.
Speaking at a press briefing in the wake of the adjournment, MURIC’s Founder and Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, accused security agencies of deliberately holding El-Rufai indefinitely without trial.
“Mallam Nasir El-Rufai has been in detention since his voluntary report at the office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abuja on Monday, 16th February, 2026. Although EFCC released him on Wednesday, 18th February, he was picked up by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) same day,” Akintola stated.
He pointed to the former governor’s absence from court as evidence of a flawed process. “Reports coming from the media indicate that his absence in court today, Wednesday, 25th February, 2026 is accountable for the inability to arraign him today. There appears to be a deliberate attempt to keep El-Rufai in detention ad infinitum. A man who is in detention cannot be blamed for ‘absence in court’ because he does not control his movement.”
Akintola also highlighted the health and welfare concerns raised by El-Rufai’s media aide, Muyiwa Adekeye, who had earlier reported that the former governor suffered a nosebleed in detention and was denied direct access to his wife when she brought him food.
“The law prescribes 48 hours only as the maximum period an accused can be held in detention and within which he must be produced in court,” Akintola added. “Global best practices attest to the fact that a man is believed to be innocent until otherwise proven guilty. Interestingly, the law does not arrogate the power to declare citizens guilty to the security agencies. That power belongs incontestibly to the law courts.”
MURIC called on the Federal Government to adhere to democratic norms, citing Sections 41 and 39 of the Nigerian Constitution, which guarantee freedom of movement and free speech. The rights group warned that the treatment of opposition figures sends a troubling signal.
“Nigeria cannot afford to put unpleasant political optics on ground at a time when the world is focusing on it. Former Sokoto governor, Waziri Tambuwal, former Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami SAN and now El-Rufai, all members of the opposition. We hope we are communicating,” Akintola said. “It is time to arraign El-Rufai or set him free.”
