Abuja, Nigeria — Nigeria’s opposition party, the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has called for the immediate release or formal prosecution of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, over what it described as unlawful detention without due process.
The party said El-Rufai has been held for more than 30 days without being charged in court, raising concerns about constitutional rights and the rule of law in Africa’s most populous country. Nigeria operates a presidential system of government, and its constitution guarantees personal liberty and fair hearing for all citizens.
Okay News reports that El-Rufai initially honoured an invitation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nigeria’s main anti-corruption agency, about 32 days ago. According to the ADC, he was later taken into custody by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), another federal anti-corruption body responsible for investigating corruption-related offences.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC described the situation as a violation of democratic principles and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The statement read, “Freedom is not a privilege that is granted at the pleasure of the executive branch. It is a right guaranteed by the Constitution. The right to liberty, the right to fair hearing, and the right to political participation are not negotiable or conditional.”
The party further alleged that El-Rufai had been pressured to give up his political rights in exchange for his freedom, though no official confirmation of such claims has been made by authorities.
It added, “A government that detains without charge, intimidates without evidence, and demands silence in exchange for freedom is not acting like a democratic government; it is behaving like something else entirely.”
The ADC urged key state institutions, including the Office of the National Security Adviser and the leadership of the ICPC, to act in line with constitutional provisions. It stressed that the ICPC was established to investigate corruption and promote accountability, not to be used for political purposes.
The party also called on Nigerians across political and religious divides to defend constitutional rights, warning that violations often begin with isolated cases before expanding further.
The controversy comes against the backdrop of multiple investigations involving El-Rufai. Nigeria’s domestic intelligence agency, the Department of State Services (DSS), has filed a three-count cybercrime charge against him following a televised interview on February 13, 2026. During that interview, he admitted accessing intercepted phone conversations involving Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
El-Rufai linked those intercepted communications to an alleged attempt to detain him at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on Wednesday, February 12, 2026.
Separately, both the EFCC and the ICPC are investigating allegations that ₦432 billion (about $288 million) in public funds were diverted during his tenure as governor of Kaduna State, a region in northwestern Nigeria.
Records show that he was first detained by the EFCC on Sunday, February 16, 2026, granted bail on Tuesday, February 18, 2026, and then immediately rearrested by the ICPC.
As of Wednesday, March 18, 2026, he remains in custody, with no confirmed date for arraignment in court. The ADC insists that the law requires either a prompt trial or unconditional release, warning that continued detention could undermine public trust in Nigeria’s democratic institutions.
