….Do not give El-Rufai,the El-Rufai treatment: HURIWA tells President Tinubu
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has condemned what it described as a dangerous pattern of unlawful detention in Nigeria, raising alarm over the prolonged incarceration of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai and a group of detained military personnel accused of plotting against the state, without prompt and transparent trial.
HURIWA, in a strongly worded statement, said the continued detention of El-Rufai by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission raises serious constitutional and rule of law concerns, particularly as the anti-graft agency continues to rely on successive court orders to keep him in custody without filing substantive charges before a competent court.
The prominent civil rights advocacy group observed that El-Rufai has been in custody since February 2026 after honouring an invitation by anti-corruption agencies, and was subsequently transferred between agencies before ending up with the ICPC for ongoing investigations. The group added that despite being granted bail earlier, he has remained in detention, with his legal team complaining of delays and lack of clarity regarding formal charges.
Although the ICPC has secured multiple remand orders, including a fresh 14-day extension in March, HURIWA argued that the repeated reliance on such orders without arraignment undermines constitutional safeguards and due process.
Continuing, HURIWA stated that in any democracy governed by the rule of law, the principle is clear: if there are charges, they must be brought before a court and the accused given the opportunity to defend himself. The group warned that holding a suspect indefinitely under the guise of investigation amounts to executive overreach and judicial manipulation.
The association further decried what it termed “forum shopping,” accusing the ICPC of moving from one court to another to obtain remand orders that effectively keep El-Rufai in custody without trial, a practice it described as unacceptable in a modern constitutional democracy.
HURIWA also drew attention to the contradiction between Nigeria’s global democratic posture and domestic realities, noting that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu continues to engage world leaders across Europe and America while allegations of rights violations persist at home. The group argued that Nigeria’s international partners must insist on adherence to democratic norms, including respect for due process and civil liberties.
However, the rights group acknowledged reports that El-Rufai himself, during his tenure as governor, was accused of high-handedness, including the detention of critics and journalists. It maintained that while past actions may be subject to public scrutiny, they do not justify a repetition of constitutional violations by the present administration. According to HURIWA, “two wrongs do not make a right,” and the government must demonstrate higher democratic standards.
In a related development, HURIWA expressed grave concern over the continued detention of several military officers allegedly linked to a plot to overthrow the government, questioning why the authorities have failed to arraign them in court if indeed there is credible evidence of treason.
The group noted that treason is one of the most serious offences under Nigerian law and requires swift and transparent judicial handling. It queried why the suspects have reportedly been held for weeks without trial and with restricted access to legal representation and family members.
HURIWA warned that denying detainees access to lawyers and relatives violates fundamental human rights provisions enshrined in the Constitution and international legal instruments to which Nigeria is a signatory.
The association asked pointedly whether the prolonged detention suggests uncertainty in the government’s case, arguing that if sufficient evidence exists, the suspects should be charged immediately, and if not, they should be released without delay.
HURIWA concluded that the pattern of detaining individuals without trial, whether civilians or military personnel, erodes public confidence in the justice system and weakens Nigeria’s democratic institutions. It called on the Federal Government to immediately release or arraign all detainees in accordance with the law, stressing that the credibility of the administration rests not on rhetoric but on its commitment to justice, fairness, and the rule of law.
Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko
National Coordinator,
Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA)
Monday, March 23, 2026
