Questions over due process and the treatment of high-profile defendants moved to the centre of public debate on Wednesday after a Federal High Court in Abuja granted former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai bail in an ongoing case involving the alleged interception of the phone communications of National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu. The ruling came amid fresh controversy over his continued custody and allegations by his family that operatives of the Department of State Services, DSS, took him away despite existing court directives.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik granted El-Rufai bail in the sum of N100 million and imposed strict conditions, including the provision of a surety who must be a Grade Level 17 federal civil servant residing in either Maitama or Asokoro in Abuja. The court also directed the former governor to surrender his international passports, seek approval before travelling abroad and report monthly to DSS headquarters pending the conclusion of the trial. Authorities say the measures are intended to ensure his availability throughout the proceedings.
The controversy surrounding his custody, however, quickly overshadowed the bail decision. Outside the DSS facility in Abuja, El-Rufai’s wife, Hasiat, alleged that the family had been subjected to intimidation and uncertainty since the former governor’s arrest. She claimed there were subsisting court orders directing that he remain in the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, rather than the DSS. According to her, the family now lives under constant fear amid reports of surveillance and repeated security threats.
The ICPC rejected allegations that it violated El-Rufai’s rights while in detention. Speaking during a media briefing in Abuja, the commission’s spokesman, John Okor Odey, maintained that all access to detainees is regulated by existing internal procedures. He denied claims that the former governor was denied food or medical attention, insisting that the agency merely enforced standard visitor restrictions applicable to every suspect in custody, regardless of status or political influence.
The African Democratic Congress, ADC, also entered the dispute, accusing the Federal Government of using state institutions to target opposition figures. In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the party described El-Rufai’s ordeal as political persecution rather than a straightforward prosecution. The ADC questioned why some other politically exposed persons facing corruption allegations were not subjected to similar detention conditions, arguing that inconsistent enforcement could weaken public confidence in the justice system.
Legal analysts say the unfolding developments could intensify national conversations about transparency, detainee rights and the independence of anti-graft investigations ahead of the 2027 elections. While the court has fixed accelerated hearing for the matter, observers note that public attention is increasingly shifting beyond the allegations themselves to the broader issue of how law enforcement agencies balance national security concerns with constitutional protections and judicial orders.
