Professor Odinkalu Condemns El-Rufai’s Indefinite Detention

Renowned human rights activist and former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, Professor Chidi Odinkalu, has voiced strong opposition to the ongoing detention of former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, warning that no Nigerian citizen should be held above or beneath the law.

In a widely circulated post on X on Sunday, March 8, 2026, Odinkalu, who has long been critical of El-Rufai’s governance record, drew a clear line between personal dislike and constitutional principles.

“As @GovKaduna, @elrufai was lawless. I disagreed with him then. Today, he is being treated as beneath the law. I disagree with that too,” Odinkalu wrote.

“I call @elrufai a #VileLittleMan. But the rights in the constitution of #Nigeria are not meant to protect merely people whom we like or agree with. No one in #Nigeria shd be above the law or beneath it.”

The professor stressed that the Nigerian Constitution explicitly prohibits administrative detention and sets strict standards for pre-trial detention. He urged the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), the Department of State Services (DSS), or any other agency involved to immediately charge El-Rufai in court if they have a tenable case.

“Whatever happens, there is no legal basis or justification for keeping him or anyone in detention interminably. That is keeping a citizen beneath the law. It is unlawful, unjustifiable & unconstitutional,” he declared.

As previously reported by NaijaChoice News, the former governor has been in ICPC custody since February 19, 2026, after spending several days with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) following his invitation for questioning on February 16. The probes centre on allegations of massive financial misconduct, including the alleged mismanagement of over ₦432 billion in public funds during his eight-year tenure as Kaduna governor.

El-Rufai has repeatedly described the investigations, raids on his residence, and continued detention as politically motivated persecution. He has filed a N1 billion fundamental rights suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja against the EFCC, ICPC, DSS, and the Attorney-General of the Federation, challenging the legality of his arrest and prolonged holding without charge.

Sources close to the ICPC say investigations are ongoing, with arraignment now tentatively fixed for April 2026. The DSS has publicly denied currently holding him, though earlier reports indicated its operatives were involved in transfers and attempted arrests.

Odinkalu’s intervention comes amid growing public debate on selective application of the law, especially for high-profile political figures. While many Nigerians recall El-Rufai’s controversial policies and alleged high-handedness during his time in office, the human rights professor maintained that bending constitutional rules to settle scores sets a dangerous precedent for every citizen.

“Due process is not a favour; it is a right,” Odinkalu’s position underscores, even as he refuses to soften his long-standing description of the ex-governor.