Human rights lawyer and former chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, Chidi Odinkalu, has said former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, should submit himself to legal accountability and stop complaining about due process.
Odinkalu made the remarks during an appearance on Channels Television, following confirmation by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) that El-Rufai is currently in its custody.
The former governor was reportedly arrested by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) shortly after he was granted bail by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday. He was subsequently handed over to the ICPC.
Speaking on the development, Odinkalu stressed that every citizen is entitled to due process and equal treatment under the law, regardless of political status or affiliation.
“Every citizen deserves due process and must be treated equally under the law. No one should enjoy impunity because of who they are or their political profile. If there are actions that warrant legal accountability, then the individual must face due legal process,” he said.
However, the rights advocate argued that El-Rufai’s record in office undermines any claim to moral high ground on due process. He accused the former governor of ruling Kaduna State with “extraordinary impunity, recklessness and brutality.”
Odinkalu cited alleged instances of abuse of power, including the expropriation of lands, demolition of properties belonging to political opponents, and controversial restructuring of traditional institutions. He also referenced unresolved cases of insecurity, including the disappearance of social media commentator Abubakar Idris, popularly known as Dadiyata, and the 2019 killing of Dr. Raphael Galadima after abduction.
According to him, some communities were allegedly reclassified in ways that disenfranchised certain groups from traditional leadership structures.
“I don’t think the one person who can frankly complain about due process is Nasir El-Rufai,” Odinkalu said, adding that the former governor was instrumental in campaigning for the current administration.
El-Rufai, who served as governor of Kaduna State from 2015 to 2023 and previously as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, has yet to publicly respond to the latest comments.
The ICPC has not released detailed charges at the time of filing this report.
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