Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called for the immediate release of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, describing his continued detention ahead of the Eid-el-Kabir celebrations as “cruel, unjustifiable, and deeply troubling.”
Atiku said the situation raises serious concerns about civil liberties, democratic principles and respect for the rule of law, warning against the use of state institutions to target political opponents.
His position was contained in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu.
The former vice president, now a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), said El-Rufai’s continued detention was politically provocative and inconsistent with the ideals of justice and democracy.
He stressed that Eid-el-Kabir is a sacred period marked by sacrifice, compassion and reconciliation, arguing that no citizen should be deprived of liberty during such a significant religious season without clear justification.
“At a time when millions of Muslims across Nigeria and around the world are preparing to celebrate Eid-el-Kabir — a sacred season of sacrifice, compassion, forgiveness, and family reunion — it would be unconscionable for any government to weaponise state power in a manner that denies a citizen his liberty without just cause,” Atiku said.
He added that due process must be clearly demonstrated if any citizen is being held by authorities, insisting that political differences should never justify denial of freedom or humane treatment.
Atiku further stated that democracy must be judged by how fairly it treats perceived opponents, warning that selective justice undermines public confidence in governance and the judiciary.
“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,” he said.
He also cautioned that democratic governance does not give room for political victimisation or the use of coercive institutions to settle scores.
“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 added.
The statement comes about a week after reports that a Federal High Court in Kaduna granted El-Rufai access to medical treatment while in custody, following an application by his legal team.
El-Rufai and his co-defendant, Joel Adoga, are currently facing a 10-count charge before Justice Rilwan Aikawa of the Federal High Court in Kaduna.
The charges border on alleged money laundering, conversion and possession of proceeds of corruption under the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Both defendants have pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Authorities have not yet issued an additional response to Atiku’s latest call for El-Rufai’s release.
