Odinkalu criticizes prolonged detention of former Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai
By Ishaya Ibrahim
Renowned human rights lawyer and professor, Chidi Anselm Odinkalu, has spoken out against the extended detention of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, describing it as unlawful and unconstitutional despite his personal criticisms of the politician.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday, Odinkalu referred to El-Rufai as a “#VileLittleMan” and acknowledged past disagreements with him during his tenure as governor, when Odinkalu viewed him as “lawless.” However, he strongly condemned the current treatment of El-Rufai, arguing that no one in Nigeria should be placed “above the law or beneath it.”
“The rights in the constitution of #Nigeria are not meant to protect merely people whom we like or agree with,” Odinkalu wrote. He emphasized that constitutional provisions clearly outline standards for pre-trial detention and prohibit administrative or indefinite detention without proper charges.
Odinkalu called on agencies such as the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission and the Department of State Services or any other entity holding El-Rufai to either charge him in court if credible evidence of crimes exists or release him immediately.
“There is no legal basis or justification for keeping him or anyone in detention interminably,” he stated. “That is keeping a citizen beneath the law. It is unlawful, unjustifiable & unconstitutional.”
El-Rufai has been in custody since mid-February 2026, initially honoring an invitation from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before being transferred to the ICPC. He has been held for over two weeks under a remand order that family members and his legal team claim has expired without fresh charges or extensions.
