El-Rufai Raises Alarm Over Illegal Detentions, Says Rule of Law Under Siege

Former Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, has condemned what he described as the rising culture of unlawful detention in Nigeria, warning that the practice is steadily eroding democracy and public confidence in government.

El-Rufai spoke on Thursday at the 23rd Annual Trust Dialogue held at the Nigerian Air Force Conference Centre, Kado, Abuja, where he faulted security agencies for holding citizens without due process.

According to him, the justice system is meant to safeguard the rights of the people, not instil fear or operate as a tool of intimidation.

“The law should protect citizens, not terrify them like what is happening in Nigeria. Detention without due process must end,” he declared.

The former governor argued that keeping individuals in custody without proper investigation or trial violates fundamental human rights and runs contrary to the rule of law as guaranteed by the Nigerian Constitution.

He warned that no society can progress where security institutions act outside legal boundaries, adding that the abuse of state power to harass or silence citizens weakens democratic structures and undermines trust in governance.

El-Rufai stressed that respect for the rule of law remains the cornerstone of any credible democracy and urged authorities to halt practices that portray the state as an oppressor rather than a protector of the people.