*Malam Nasir El-Rufai.
The Network for Democracy and Development (NDD) has expressed concern over the continued detention of former Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), urging the authorities to ensure strict adherence to constitutional provisions and due process.
The civil society platform, in a statement issued in Lagos on Friday, September 11, 2026, said its position was not opposed to the fight against corruption but stressed that such efforts must be firmly anchored on the rule of law.
The statement, signed by the NDD National Coordinator, Tajudeen Alabede, and General Secretary, Muhammad Jameel Muhammad, said corruption remained a major threat to Nigeria’s social contract and should be confronted decisively.
It, however, warned that the credibility of the anti-corruption campaign depended on respect for constitutional rights and equal treatment before the law.
The group said it was particularly concerned that El-Rufai had reportedly spent more than 200 days in ICPC detention in connection with offences it described as bailable.
According to NDD, Sections 35 and 36 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, provide fundamental safeguards for personal liberty, fair hearing and due process.
It noted that while Section 35 guarantees the right to personal liberty and trial within a reasonable time, Section 36 provides for a fair, public and impartial hearing, including the presumption of innocence.
“These provisions ensure that no individual can be arbitrarily stripped of their physical freedom or condemned without full compliance with the rule of law,” the organisation said.
NDD argued that prolonged detention could have implications beyond the individual case, particularly when it generates public concerns over the fairness, transparency and predictability of the justice system.
“When detention extends far beyond what is reasonable, the implications transcend the individual involved,” it said, adding that such circumstances could undermine public confidence in the justice system.
The organisation stressed that due process should not be regarded as a mere technical requirement, describing it as the foundation of the moral authority of the anti-corruption campaign.
“A matter before the court is not a conviction; ICPC custody is not a prison sentence,” NDD stated.
Against this backdrop, the group called on the Attorney-General of the Federation and the leadership of the ICPC to immediately review the basis and duration of El-Rufai’s detention.
It also urged the authorities to ensure strict compliance with constitutional timelines and applicable bail provisions.
The organisation further called for any prosecution deemed necessary to be pursued openly and without unnecessary delay, stressing that justice must not only be done but must also be seen to be done.
NDD said Nigeria’s development depended on the ability of public institutions to uphold two fundamental principles simultaneously: accountability in public office and fidelity to due process.
“We cannot sacrifice one to achieve the other,” it said.
The group urged public institutions to conduct the case in a manner that would strengthen public trust rather than fuel suspicion, insisting that the fight against corruption must be based on law, credible evidence and transparency.
“The ongoing prosecution of Malam Nasir El-Rufai must, therefore, proceed without any hint of persecution. We all must come under the rule of law,” NDD said.
The organisation reaffirmed its support for measures aimed at promoting public integrity and curbing corruption, but maintained that such measures must be implemented within the framework of Nigeria’s constitutional order.
It called on relevant authorities to act in a manner that would preserve the legitimacy of the anti-corruption campaign and strengthen citizens’ confidence in the justice system.