(Atiku Abubakar during a solidarity visit to Nasir El-Rufai at his residence. Photo Credit: Punch News)
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called on federal authorities and the Kaduna State Government to immediately free former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, condemning his continued detention ahead of the Eid-el-Kabir celebrations as cruel, unjustifiable, and deeply troubling.
Atiku, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, made the demand through a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu.
He framed El-Rufai’s ongoing detention as a violation of civil liberties, democratic norms, and the rule of law, and cautioned against the use of state institutions to intimidate political opponents.
The former Vice President argued that detaining a citizen without clear justification during a sacred period of religious celebration when millions of Muslims around the world gather with family to mark Eid-el-Kabir — was unconscionable and smacked of political persecution.
He stressed that the festive season is one of mercy, compassion, and reconciliation, and that no government should weaponize state power in a manner that separates a man from his family during such a spiritually significant occasion, particularly where due process has not been transparently demonstrated.
Atiku called for El-Rufai’s immediate release and urged all relevant authorities to rise above political bitterness in the interest of justice, peace, and national unity.
He further warned that the credibility of any democracy is measured not by how it treats its allies, but by how fairly it treats those perceived as opponents.
He also insisted that if El-Rufai’s detention is legally grounded, the authorities owe Nigerians a transparent explanation.
The call comes a week after the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) announced that a Federal High Court in Kaduna had granted El-Rufai access to medical treatment while in custody, following a plea by his defence counsel during trial proceedings.
El-Rufai and co-defendant Joel Adoga are currently standing trial before Justice Rilwan Aikawa of the Federal High Court in Kaduna on a 10-count charge bordering on alleged conversion and possession of proceeds of corruption, as well as money laundering offences contrary to the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Both defendants have pleaded not guilty to all charges.