Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has demanded a fair trial as he marked 256 days in detention, insisting that justice must be upheld in accordance with the law.
El-Rufai made the demand in a statement shared on his official X account on Friday, describing a fair trial as a fundamental human right rather than a privilege or favour.
The post read, “Today is exactly 256 days in detention. A human right, not a favour. A fair trial is not an act of mercy. It is not a privilege. It is a fundamental human right.”
The former governor has been in custody since February 16, 2026, following his arrest by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over allegations of financial mismanagement during his administration in Kaduna State between 2015 and 2023.
The allegations followed a report by the Kaduna State House of Assembly, which raised concerns over the management of approximately N423bn to N432bn during his eight-year tenure.
He was subsequently transferred to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission as investigations and legal proceedings continued.
El-Rufai is also facing a separate case instituted by the Department of State Services over the alleged unlawful interception of telephone communications belonging to the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
The charges followed comments made by the former governor during a television interview, and he has pleaded not guilty to the allegations against him.
Although courts have granted him bail in some of the cases, stringent conditions attached to the decisions have reportedly prevented his release.
He was briefly released in March on compassionate grounds to attend his mother’s burial before returning to custody.
In the wiretapping case, a Federal High Court in Abuja recently dismissed his no-case submission and ordered him to enter his defence, with further proceedings expected to continue.
The prolonged detention has attracted reactions from supporters and political figures, some of whom have questioned the circumstances surrounding his continued custody and called for respect for his fundamental rights.
However, authorities maintain that the cases against him involve ongoing investigations and allegations relating to corruption and national security offences.