Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has voiced significant alarm regarding the ongoing detention of Nasir El-Rufai, the former Governor of Kaduna State. This statement follows the Federal High Court’s decision to uphold current bail requirements despite objections. Speaking through his aide, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku argued that the situation highlights a concerning pattern of using the judicial system as a tool against political figures.
While courts have the power to set bail, Atiku insisted that these mandates should not be excessive or effectively impossible to meet. He emphasized that the presumption of innocence is a fundamental constitutional right, and bail should facilitate this protection rather than serve as a form of pre-conviction punishment. The former candidate highlighted that requiring specific high-level civil servants as sureties or demanding property in affluent districts like Maitama and Asokoro creates an unreachable standard.
Atiku cautioned that this legal precedent threatens the broader rule of law within Nigeria. He noted that if citizens are denied liberty based on unattainable financial or bureaucratic demands, the democratic process itself is compromised. Currently, El-Rufai faces ongoing legal proceedings involving allegations of corruption and security violations.
