Wife of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, Hajiya Asiya El-Rufai, has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and relevant authorities to ensure that her husband enjoys his constitutional rights while facing ongoing criminal proceedings.
Speaking during an interview on Arise Television, Aisha El-Rufai, who is also a lawyer, stressed that the family is not asking the President or any government institution to interfere with the judicial process or halt the prosecution.
According to her, the family's demand is limited to ensuring that the former governor receives the constitutional protections available to every Nigerian facing criminal charges.
"We are not asking the President to stop the prosecution or shield him from justice. We are asking that he be allowed access to adequate medical care, his personal physician, his lawyers, his family, and, where the law permits, bail on reasonable terms," she said.
The appeal follows growing public debate over El-Rufai's continued detention, reports concerning his health, and allegations that restrictions imposed on him have hindered his ability to prepare an effective legal defence.
Aisha argued that denying an accused person access to medical treatment, family members and legal counsel raises both constitutional and humanitarian concerns.
"When you deny somebody access to medical treatment or his doctors or his family members and isolate him, aside from the medical implications, there are also psychological implications," she stated.
She disclosed that the family remains anxious about his condition, saying they constantly fear receiving bad news.
"As a family, we live with constant fear that we may wake up one day and hear something terrible has happened," she added.
Addressing the legal proceedings, Aisha maintained that the offences against her husband are bailable under Nigerian law but argued that the bail conditions imposed by the courts have made his release practically impossible.
She cited the bail conditions granted by the Federal High Court in Kaduna, which reportedly required two sureties with property valued at ₦200 million each in Kaduna's Government Reserved Area (GRA), alongside an attestation from the Kaduna State Traditional Council.
According to her, efforts to fulfil those conditions were unsuccessful because the Traditional Council allegedly declined to issue the required attestation, while the Kaduna State Land Registry was reportedly unavailable during attempts to verify property documents.
She also criticised the bail conditions imposed in the separate Federal High Court case in Abuja, where she said the court required a Level 17 federal civil servant as surety, ownership of property in Maitama or Asokoro, certification by a bank manager, official confirmation from the surety's employer, and submission of salary records and tax clearance documents.
According to Aisha, although courts have the discretion to impose bail conditions, such conditions should not be so stringent that they effectively amount to a denial of bail.
"The essence of bail is simply to ensure that an accused person appears for trial," she argued.
She noted that El-Rufai voluntarily returned to Nigeria after receiving an invitation from investigators despite being outside the country at the time.
"He responded to the invitation and came back on his own. Someone who intended to evade justice would not willingly return," she said.
Asiya further contended that her husband's public record as a former governor and former minister should have weighed in favour of granting him bail on less restrictive terms.
The case continues to generate significant public attention as legal proceedings progress, with renewed debate over balancing the constitutional rights of defendants with the need for effective prosecution in high-profile criminal cases.
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