Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called on federal authorities under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immediately release Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, the embattled former governor of Kaduna State.
In a statement by his spokesperson, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku condemned El-Rufai’s continued detention, especially at a time when Muslims across Nigeria are preparing for the sacred Eid al-Kabir celebrations, as cruel, unjustifiable, and deeply troubling.
He described the development as a disturbing assault on civil liberties, democratic decency, and the rule of law, raising grave concerns about the deployment of state power to intimidate perceived political adversaries.
According to him, El-Rufai’s ordeal in the history of Tinubu’s government is deeply troubling, politically provocative, and wholly inconsistent with the principles of justice, democracy, and basic human decency.
“At a time when millions of Muslims across Nigeria and around the world are preparing to celebrate Eid Kabir, a sacred season of sacrifice, compassion, forgiveness, and family reunion—it would be unconscionable for any government to weaponize state power in a manner that denies a citizen his liberty without just cause, particularly in circumstances that raise legitimate concerns about political persecution.
“Mallam El-Rufai, regardless of political differences or shifting alliances, remains a Nigerian citizen entitled to the full protection of the Constitution, including his rights to dignity, liberty, and due process.
“The Federal Government and the Kaduna State authorities must understand that selective justice is injustice. “The credibility of any democracy is measured not by how it treats loyalists, but by how it treats perceived opponents,” he stated.
Recall that El-Rufai had been under the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Related Offences Commission.
He had filed for bail upon arraignment but the ICPC opposed his request in court.