Family members and loyalists of former Nasir El-Rufai staged a protest on Monday at the headquarters of the Department of State Services (DSS) in Abuja over what they described as his prolonged detention and alleged violation of court orders.
The protest drew supporters, political allies, and members of the former governor’s family, including Senator Lawal Adamu Usman and Bello El-Rufai, a member of the House of Representatives and son of the former governor.
The demonstrators accused security agencies of transferring El-Rufai to DSS custody despite existing court directives they claimed required that he remain under the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.
Speaking outside the DSS headquarters, El-Rufai’s second wife, Asia El-Rufai, alleged that the family had been subjected to intimidation, surveillance, and threats by security agencies.
“We now live in constant fear. Every day we get a threat — DSS, ICPC and police are coming to raid your house. You are being followed. Our phones are tapped,” she said.
According to her, El-Rufai had appeared earlier before Justice Joyce AbdulMalik of the Federal High Court, who granted bail and adjourned proceedings until the following day.
She claimed that during the court recess, the former governor was moved to a DSS facility against his objections.
“I remember him saying, ‘I am not going to step down because there are two court orders that the Kaduna court gave that I should be remanded in ICPC. Why are you bringing me here?’ He said that he is not a piece of furniture to be moved,” she recounted.
Asia further alleged that despite a court order reportedly issued by Justice Aikawa of the Kaduna State High Court granting El-Rufai access to his lawyers and personal physicians, authorities had denied him medical attention.
She said arrangements for medical consultations through the ICPC allegedly failed because El-Rufai was not informed ahead of the doctor’s visit.
The family also expressed concern that the former governor had remained in detention for 91 days.
Senator Lawal Adamu accused authorities of subjecting El-Rufai to psychological harassment and demanded his release on self-recognition bail.
“We are calling for his immediate release. He deserves to be granted bail based on self-recognition. What is happening is psychological harassment because of politics,” he said.
Bello El-Rufai also criticised the bail conditions imposed on his father, describing them as excessively stringent and politically motivated.
“Why were the terms of the bail so stringent that it is practically impossible for anybody to meet?” he asked, citing requirements including a level 17 civil servant with property in Abuja and financial guarantees running into millions of naira.
Also speaking, Dr. Uche Dialla, director-general of the El-Rufai Support Group Association, described the situation as a form of psychological torture.
“Torture is not just physical torture. When you take a man psychologically, he is in the custody of ICPC, goes to court, and immediately moves to another environment — that is psychological torture,” he said.
The protest adds to growing political tension surrounding the former Kaduna governor’s legal troubles and detention.
