By Professor Ishaq Akintola

‎The case involving former governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, was on Tuesday adjourned till the first week of June, 2026.

‎‎Commenting on the development, an Islamic human rights organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) said the long adjournment lends credence to opposition claim of political motivation.

‎‎This was the crux of a statement circulated to newsmen on Thursday, 23rd April, 2026 by the Executive Director of the human rights organization, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

‎The statement reads:

‎‎”The case involving former governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, came up before Justice Darius Khobo of the Kaduna State High Court on Tuesday, 21st April, 2026. However, the learned judge adjourned the bail hearing to the first week of June, 2026.

‎‎”While we respect pronouncements made in the temple of justice and we believe that the law must be allowed to follow its due process, the long adjournment of El-Rufai’s case in a bailable offence lends credence to opposition claim of political motivation.

“Neither does the cassu belli put forward by the learned judge hold any water. According to NaijaNews, Justice Darius Khobo held that ‘it was in the interest of justice for the defendant to remain in custody to ensure his availability for trial’

“It is on record that El-Rufai willingly presented himself to the EFCC ab initio. Not only that, he also went back voluntarily into custody from home without any prompting at the end of his mother’s burial rites. There was no report of any ICPC raid on his house before he went back.

“Above all, it will also be recalled that El-Rufai was outside the country when EFCC invited him. Instead of remaining there to seek political asylum, he elected to return home to face the charges and he notified EFCC of the date he would report. Besides, he has no past record of jumping bail. So why is he being kept in custody?

‎‎”Concerning the duration of his detention, it will be recalled that Mallam Nasir El-Rufai willingly reported himself at the office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on 16th February, 2026. He was transferred to the office of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) three days later to face multiple charges.

‎‎”El-Rufai has therefore been in detention since Monday, 16th February, 2026 and he had already spent approximately two months (if the number of days he spent burying his mother is removed) by 21st April, 2026 when the learned judge denied him bail.

‎‎”By implication, El-Rufai would have spent approximately three and a half months by the time the bail application comes up again in the first week of June 2026.

‎‎”Politicians facing corruption charges in Nigeria often spend between a few days to several weeks in ICPC detention. But that of the former governor of Kaduna is now drifting into months. El-Rufai is therefore being projected as probably the longest serving detained politician going by his expected stay in custody until the first week in June, 2026.

‎‎”The question being raised in the opposition camp is what else constitutes political witch-hunt if this does not?

‎‎”We reiterate our commitment to justice running its due course but we should not be given the impression that some people can be forgotten behind bars. Democracy loses its essence where the wheels of justice are forced to run at snail speed or where they totally grind to a halt. Justice delayed is justice denied. Let El-Rufai go.”

‎Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).