Asiya El-Rufai, one of the wives of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, has alleged that political interests are behind her husband’s continued detention, arguing that the stringent bail conditions imposed by the courts have made it difficult for the family to secure his release.
Speaking on the challenges facing the family, Asiya said there appeared to be deliberate efforts to keep the former governor in custody despite the courts granting him bail in separate cases before the Federal High Courts in Kaduna and Abuja.
According to her, the conditions attached to the bail orders are difficult to fulfil, making it challenging for the family and legal team to perfect the bail and secure El-Rufai’s release.
One of the conditions imposed by the Federal High Court in Kaduna, she noted, requires the submission of a letter of attestation from the Kaduna Traditional Council, a requirement she described as particularly difficult to satisfy. The Kaduna court also ordered a ₦200 million bail bond with two sureties, including a recognised traditional ruler and a senior federal civil servant, pending compliance with the conditions.
Asiya maintained that the circumstances surrounding the bail requirements have reinforced the family’s belief that political considerations are influencing the legal process.
“There are political moves to keep my husband in detention,” she said, insisting that the family remains committed to meeting all the court’s requirements while pursuing every lawful avenue to secure his freedom.
In a separate case before the Federal High Court in Abuja, El-Rufai was granted bail in the sum of ₦100 million. However, the court also imposed several conditions, including the provision of a surety who must be a Grade Level 17 federal civil servant residing in either Maitama or Asokoro, Abuja, with landed property in the Federal Capital Territory. The court further directed the former governor to surrender his international passports and report monthly to the Department of State Services (DSS) pending the determination of the case. It also required a letter of attestation from the Chairman of the Kaduna Traditional Council.
The former governor is facing legal proceedings in separate matters before the courts in Kaduna and Abuja. Although the courts admitted him to bail, he is expected to remain in custody until all the conditions are fully met.
Asiya appealed to supporters to remain calm and continue to have faith in the judicial process, expressing hope that the family would soon be able to satisfy the bail conditions and secure her husband’s release.
As of the time of filing this report, neither the Federal Government nor the prosecuting authorities had publicly responded to Asiya El-Rufai’s allegation that political forces were orchestrating her husband’s continued detention.
The case has continued to attract significant public and political attention, with supporters of the former governor questioning the strictness of the bail conditions, while legal observers maintain that it is ultimately for the courts to determine whether the requirements are appropriate and have been complied with.
