The family of former Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, has accused operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) of unlawfully taking him into custody following proceedings at the Federal High Court in Abuja, despite existing court orders directing that he remain in the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
Speaking to journalists outside a DSS facility on Monday, El-Rufai’s second wife, Hasiat El-Rufai, described the situation as traumatic, alleging that the family has been subjected to persistent intimidation, surveillance, and psychological pressure.
“We now live in constant fear. Every day we get a threat — DSS is coming to raid your house, ICPC is coming to raid your house, police are coming to raid your house. You are being followed. Our phones are tapped,” she alleged.
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According to her, El-Rufai had earlier appeared before Justice Joyce AbdulMalik of the Federal High Court, where he was granted bail before the matter was stood down until 1:00 p.m.
She explained that during the court recess, the former governor was briefly taken to a DSS facility, a move he reportedly resisted on the grounds that two subsisting court orders from Kaduna directed that he remain under ICPC custody.
“He said to them, ‘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, ‘I am not a furniture to be moved,’” she recounted.
Hasiat said El-Rufai was subsequently returned to the ICPC, but after the afternoon session—during which the prosecution sought an adjournment and the judge fixed the matter for the following day—he was allegedly moved again to the DSS facility instead of being returned to ICPC custody.
As of the time she addressed reporters, she claimed the former governor had refused to leave the vehicle transporting him.
“He told them that if you want to take me inside DSS custody, you will have to physically force me into doing this, because you had an agreement,” she said.
She further alleged that El-Rufai, who she said has spent 91 days in custody, had been denied access to his personal physicians despite an order by Justice Aikawa of the Kaduna State High Court granting him unrestricted access to his lawyers and doctors.
According to her, doctors who earlier conducted medical tests on the former governor were later prevented from returning to discuss the results with him.
“When you see a doctor and you run tests, you are expected to see the doctor back so that he explains what the problem is. He was denied access to the doctor,” she alleged.
The family demanded El-Rufai’s immediate return to ICPC custody in line with existing court orders, restoration of his access to personal physicians, and an end to what they described as psychological harassment.
Meanwhile, El-Rufai’s son and member of the House of Representatives, Bello El-Rufai, described the case as politically motivated.
He questioned the stringent bail conditions imposed on the former governor, arguing that they appeared deliberately structured to be difficult to meet.
“Who keeps a person for 91 days? Why were the terms of the bail so stringent that it is practically impossible for anybody to meet?” he asked.
As of press time, neither the DSS nor the ICPC had officially responded to the allegations made by the family.