The wife of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, Hajiya Asiya El-Rufai, on Tuesday, appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to ensure that her detained husband receives what she described as fair treatment.
Asiya, who was flanked by El-Rufai’s other wife, Aichatou, recalled the support she and the former governor gave the President during the 2023 presidential campaign.
Speaking with journalists at her residence in Abuja on Tuesday, she said the family was not asking the President to interfere in the judicial process or halt the prosecution of the former governor.
Rather, she urged Tinubu to ensure that El-Rufai enjoys his constitutional rights, including access to medical care, family members, legal representatives and bail on reasonable terms.
According to her, if the President gives the order, all those concerned will comply.
The Editor Nigeria reports that her appeal followed the arrest of El-Rufai’s personal physician, Prof. Bello Abubakar, by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
Asiya also alleged that her husband had been denied access to medical treatment despite being diagnosed with high blood pressure and high blood sugar levels.
“Mr. President Sir, I campaigned for you. I stood up and went to every nook and cranny of Kaduna State for you. My husband stood by your side. Is this what our family deserves?
“The ball is in your court, Mr. President. All these can stop if you say a word. We believe that you are a father and we know you can empathise.
“Please let him go free. I am not asking you to tell them not to prosecute him, but we are asking you to allow him the basic human rights that the Constitution you swore to uphold and defend guarantees. Let them give him the bail that he can afford. If he is guilty, let the court decide; if he is innocent, let the court decide,” she said.
She urged the President to ensure that justice is administered fairly and that her husband is treated in accordance with the provisions of the law.
She lamented that El-Rufai’s continued detention and denial of access to his doctors and relatives had left the family traumatised.
“We, the family, are traumatised. We live in constant fear that we will wake up and hear some bad news,” she said.
Describing the situation as psychological pressure on both her husband and the family, she added, “I honestly think that what they are doing is more about psychological warfare against Malam and against his family. If they humiliate us, dehumanise us and put us in constant fear, they feel that affects Malam.”
Asiya also questioned the reported decision to deny El-Rufai’s personal physician access to him.
“We were told that orders from ‘above’ said Professor Bello Abubakar cannot have access to anybody for 24 hours. Who is the ‘above’?” she asked.
She further alleged that El-Rufai had been denied regular access to his personal doctors, while visits by relatives had become increasingly restricted.
According to the family, the restrictions have made it difficult for the former governor to adequately prepare his defence.
“We do not shy away from defending ourselves, but we want a fair trial. We want an opportunity to be heard. Malam cannot adequately prepare for his defence while he remains in custody and has limited access to his lawyers.
“We are only asking that he be given the basic human rights guaranteed by the Constitution. Let him be granted bail on reasonable terms. If he is guilty, let the court decide. If he is innocent, let the court also decide,” she said.
