Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasiru El-Rufai
Human rights activist and 2027 presidential candidate of African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, has condemned the continued detention of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, describing it as an alleged case of political vendetta rather than justice.
Sowore, in a post on X on Wednesday, said El-Rufai’s prolonged detention should concern Nigerians regardless of their personal opinion of the former governor.
“It may not bother some people, but the continued detention of @elrufai is not about justice; it is political vendetta,” Sowore wrote.
He argued that allowing perceived injustice because the victim is unpopular could create a dangerous precedent for society.
“It is easy to look the other way because he is not your headache, and perhaps because you don’t consider him a nice person. But that is exactly how oppression works, it becomes acceptable when the victim is someone we dislike,” he said.
Sowore added that tolerance of injustice against one individual could eventually expose others to similar treatment.
“Once injustice is tolerated against one person, it becomes easier to use it against everyone else. #FreeElRufaiNow,” he stated.
El-Rufai’s detention and ICPC trial
El-Rufai has been in the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) since his arrest in February 2026, following investigations into allegations linked to his tenure as Kaduna governor between 2015 and 2023. The ICPC has said the investigation concerns allegations including abuse of office, fraud and money laundering.
The former governor was subsequently arraigned before the Federal High Court in Kaduna on charges brought by the ICPC. The commission initially filed a 10-count charge against El-Rufai and a co-defendant, with the allegations including alleged conversion and possession of proceeds of corruption and money laundering. El-Rufai pleaded not guilty.
His detention has been extended through a series of court proceedings. In March, the ICPC said an initial 14-day remand order had been followed by another 14-day extension granted by the court on March 5. The commission also maintained that El-Rufai’s continued custody was authorised by court orders and that it was acting in accordance with the Administration of Criminal Justice Act.
The former governor later secured bail in one of the proceedings, with the Federal High Court reportedly setting bail at ₦200 million and requiring two sureties in like sum. However, his legal battle continued, including proceedings over the variation of his bail conditions.
In June, the ICPC said a Kaduna State High Court had dismissed El-Rufai’s third bail application, which was filed on medical grounds.
The prolonged legal proceedings have generated political debate, with supporters of the former governor and some opposition figures alleging that the cases are politically motivated. The ICPC, however, has rejected suggestions that the detention is unlawful, insisting that the proceedings are court-authorised and being conducted in accordance with due process.
Sowore’s latest intervention therefore adds to the growing public debate surrounding El-Rufai’s detention, the ongoing corruption trial and the wider question of whether Nigeria’s anti-corruption agencies are being used strictly for law enforcement or are becoming instruments of political persecution.
