The family of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, on Monday alleged that operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) attempted to take him into custody shortly after proceedings at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The family claimed the move violated existing court orders directing that the former governor remain in the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
Speaking with journalists outside the DSS facility in Abuja, El-Rufai’s second wife, Hasiat El-Rufai, accused security agencies of subjecting the family to intimidation, surveillance and psychological pressure.
According to her, the family has lived in fear since the former governor’s detention.
“We now live in constant fear. Every day we get a threat — DSS is coming to raid your house, ICPC is coming to raid your house, police are coming to raid your house,” she said.
“You are being followed. Our phones are tapped.”
Hasiat explained that El-Rufai appeared earlier in the day before Justice Joyce AbdulMalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja, where he was granted bail before the matter was stood down until 1pm.
According to her, security operatives attempted during the break to move him to DSS custody despite two subsisting court orders from Kaduna directing that he remain in ICPC custody.
She said the former governor resisted the move.
“He said to them, I am not going to step down because there are two court orders that the Kaduna court gave that I should be remanded in ICPC. Why are you bringing me here?” she recounted.
“He said, I am not a furniture to be moved.”
The former governor was reportedly returned to ICPC custody after the initial disagreement.
However, following the afternoon court proceedings, Hasiat alleged that security operatives again attempted to move him to DSS custody.
As of the time she addressed journalists, she claimed El-Rufai had refused to leave the vehicle conveying him to the DSS facility.
“He told them that if you want to take me inside DSS custody, you will have to physically force me into doing this,” she stated.
Hasiat also alleged that El-Rufai had been denied access to his personal doctors despite an earlier Kaduna High Court order granting him unrestricted access to lawyers and physicians.
According to her, even the ICPC’s in-house doctor had recommended further medical examination before access was allegedly blocked.
“When you see a doctor and you run tests, you are expected to see the doctor back so that he explains what the problem is,” she said.
“He was denied access to the doctor.”
Also speaking during the briefing, El-Rufai’s son and member of the House of Representatives, Bello El-Rufai, described the case against his father as politically motivated.
He criticised the bail conditions imposed on the former governor, arguing that they were excessively stringent.
“Who keeps a person for 91 days? Why were the terms of the bail so stringent that it is practically impossible for anybody to meet?” he asked.
Bello further accused the ICPC of issuing misleading public statements and disclosed plans to submit a formal petition to the House of Representatives over the handling of the matter.