By Priye Briggs
Hajiya Asiya El-Rufai, wife of former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai, has appealed to President Bola Tinubu over what she described as the maltreatment of her husband, arguing that he does not deserve such treatment after backing Tinubu’s 2023 presidential bid.
While briefing journalists at their Abuja residence, Asiya said the family’s hard work during the 2023 campaign contributed to the President’s victory and urged him to ensure her husband is treated fairly while in detention.
She was accompanied by Aichatou El-Rufai, the former governor’s other wife. The briefing followed the reported arrest of El-Rufai’s personal physician, Prof. Bello Abubakar, an incident confirmed by the ICPC. Asiya alleged that her husband, who suffers from high blood pressure and diabetes, has been denied access to medical care.
The family stressed that they are not asking the President to stop the prosecution or interfere with the courts. Instead, they want El-Rufai to be granted the constitutional rights available to every Nigerian, including access to doctors, family, legal counsel, and bail on reasonable terms.
In a direct message to Tinubu, Asiya recalled their campaign efforts:
“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?”
She added: “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.”
She clarified that the family was not seeking special treatment.
“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.
Asiya said the continued detention and restrictions on visits have left the family “traumatised” and living in fear.
“We, the family, are traumatised. We live in constant fear that we will wake up and hear some bad news,” she stated.
She described the situation as psychological pressure, alleging: “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 it affects Malam.”
She also questioned the reported 24-hour restriction placed on Prof. Abubakar, asking: “We were told that orders from ‘above’ said Prof Bello Abubakar cannot have access to anybody for 24 hours. Who is the ‘above’?”
The family further claimed that El-Rufai has been denied regular access to his personal physicians and that visits by relatives have been increasingly limited. They also raised concerns about a medical report said to have come from the National Hospital, Abuja, and called for an investigation into its authenticity and the circumstances under which it was issued.
According to Asiya, the restrictions have hampered El-Rufai’s ability to prepare his defence.
“We do not shy away from defending ourselves, but we want a fair trial. We would like to be heard. Malam cannot adequately prepare for his defence while he remains in custody and has limited access to his lawyers,” she said.
The family renewed their appeal for bail on reasonable conditions pending the conclusion of trial, insisting that the court should determine his culpability.
“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 concluded.