Nigeria: El-Rufai's Detention - Sharia Council Cautions Against Political Persecution

What the report says

The Supreme Council for Shariah in Nigeria (SCSN) has urged authorities to follow the law in the continued detention of former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai, whose legal troubles are ongoing. In a statement reported by Daily Trust and distributed by AllAfrica, the council said it was worried about the reported difficulty in meeting bail conditions and argued that detention should comply with constitutional safeguards and fair-hearing principles.

The SCSN said its position was not an endorsement of any wrongdoing, but a call for due process and equal treatment under the law. It warned that actions seen as arbitrary or politically driven could damage confidence in public institutions and weaken democratic governance. The statement was issued by the council’s secretary-general, Nafiu Baba Ahmad.

According to the report, El-Rufai is facing multiple criminal cases linked to his time as Kaduna governor. These include a nine-count amended charge filed by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission over alleged abuse of office, fraud and misuse of public funds, as well as a separate five-count amended charge from the Department of State Services related to alleged unlawful recording of telephone conversations. The council called on authorities to ensure that proceedings remain transparent and within the Constitution.