Atiku faults ICPC over el-Rufai’s detention

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has demanded the immediate release of Nasir el-Rufai, former governor of Kaduna state, from the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

In a post on X on Monday, the chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) said no individual should be detained on the basis of political differences or ideological affiliations.

“I wish to serve notice to the authorities detaining former Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, and all other political detainees to release them henceforth,” Abubakar wrote.

“No one should be detained simply because they do not share the same ideology or political platform with the government of the day.”

The ex-minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has been in the custody of the anti-graft agency since February 19, after he was released by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The ICPC is scheduled to arraign el-Rufai and Joel Adoga, his former aide, before a federal high court in Kaduna on Tuesday over allegations bordering on the conversion and possession of public property and money laundering.

Last week, the ADC said the continued detention of the former governor of Kaduna is “unconstitutional and illegal”.

The opposition party asked the ICPC to release el-Rufai or arraign him before a court of competent jurisdiction.