Former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi has criticised the arrest and detention of former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai, calling it political persecution and warning about threats to democracy in Nigeria.
Obi spoke on Sunday during a meeting with members of the African Democratic Congress in Kaduna. He said the way El Rufai is being handled by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission raises serious concerns about fairness and the rule of law.
According to him, the law says people should be treated with dignity until proven guilty. He questioned why someone who returned to the country willingly after being invited would be treated like a fugitive. Obi insisted that due process should be followed at all times.
Reports by NN News Media claim that the anti corruption agency under President Bola Tinubu told El Rufai to step away from politics, leave the ADC, and stay out of the 2027 presidential race if he wants to regain his freedom.
El Rufai, who recently completed his tenure as Kaduna governor, has been in custody since February 18. He was first held by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission before being transferred to the ICPC.
The Department of State Services has charged him with cybercrime, and a court hearing is scheduled for April 23, 2026.
In response, El Rufai has taken legal action against both the DSS and ICPC, accusing them of abusing their powers and detaining him unlawfully.
The ICPC says it is holding him as investigations continue into alleged money laundering and abuse of office.
His family has also spoken out, demanding his release. In a letter dated March 6, 2026, his lawyer, Ubong Esop Akpan, accused the ICPC of abusing court processes, keeping him in unlawful detention, and misleading the courts.
