El-Rufai’s Nosebleed in Detention: Atiku demands clarity from FG

By Tolulope Oke

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has expressed concern over the health and welfare of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, following reports that he allegedly suffered a nosebleed while in detention.

Reacting to claims by El-Rufai’s media aide that the former governor bled through his nose and that family members were denied direct access to him, Atiku said the development raises serious concerns in a democratic setting.

He called on the Federal Government to state clearly which agency is currently holding El-Rufai, whether it is the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, the Department of State Services, or any other security agency.

According to him, secrecy surrounding detention only fuels public suspicion, noting that Nigerians deserve full transparency on the matter.

Atiku further stated that whichever agency is responsible for El-Rufai’s custody has a constitutional duty to guarantee his safety, dignity, access to medical care, as well as access to family members and legal representatives.

He described reports that the former governor suffered a nosebleed while relatives were allegedly denied access to him as troubling and unacceptable in a democracy.

The former presidential candidate warned that if authorities cannot guarantee El-Rufai’s health and fundamental rights, the lawful and humane step would be to grant him bail without delay.

He also raised concerns over what he described as a growing perception of selective prosecution, warning that anti-corruption efforts must not be weaponised against political opposition.

Atiku noted that the continued detention of El-Rufai under unclear circumstances raises serious questions about motive, insisting that justice must be transparent and accountability must be even-handed without political bias.