Prosecution Should Never Justify Human Rights Violations, CCDCE Slams FG Over El-Rufai’s Treatment

The Centre for Community Development and Civic Enlightenment (CCDCE), has condemned what it described as the alleged violation of the fundamental human rights of former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, calling on the Federal Government to ensure he receives adequate medical attention and a review of his bail conditions on compassionate grounds.

In a statement issued on Tuesday and signed by its Executive Director, Elder Yinka Salaam, the civil society organisation expressed concern over reports that El-Rufai had been denied prompt access to medical care despite what it described as his deteriorating health.

The group warned that such treatment raises serious constitutional and human rights concerns that require urgent intervention from the relevant authorities.

According to CCDCE, the alleged denial of medical attention to a former governor and former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory sends a disturbing signal about the state of human rights in the country.

“If the rights of a former governor and former minister of the Federal Capital Territory could be so brazenly denied, what then becomes the fate of the common man and the downtrodden? Where then do we place the maxim which states that the judiciary is the last hope of the common man?” the statement read.

The organisation maintained that while no citizen is above the law, the enforcement of the law must not come at the expense of constitutionally guaranteed rights.

“As much as the CCDCE agrees that El-Rufai is not above the law of the land, we equally insist that no Nigerian should be subjected to arbitrary detention, selective justice, political intimidation, or treatment that undermines his or her constitutional rights.”

The group stressed that El-Rufai’s ongoing prosecution over alleged corruption by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), as well as allegations of unlawful wiretapping and breach of national security reportedly being prosecuted by the Department of State Services (DSS), should not be used to justify any infringement of his rights.

“El-Rufai’s prosecution for corruption by the ICPC and his alleged unlawful wiretapping and a breach of national security being prosecuted by the DSS should never become a justification for violating fundamental human rights, particularly being a major figure among the opposition parties,” the statement added.

CCDCE further noted that the Nigerian Constitution guarantees every citizen the rights to personal liberty, dignity, fair hearing and access to necessary medical care while in custody, adding that these protections are also enshrined in the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and other international human rights instruments to which Nigeria is a signatory.

The organisation called on the authorities to strictly comply with constitutional provisions governing arrest, detention, bail and due process in handling El-Rufai’s cases.

It also urged the government to vary the former governor’s bail conditions on compassionate grounds, saying such a move would enable him to access his family and receive adequate medical treatment while his trials continue.

“Being a two-term governor and a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, CCDCE similarly demands for compassionate varying of El-Rufai’s bail conditions, so he could have unrestricted access to his family as well as adequate and timely medical facilities, even as his trials continue unabated,” the statement concluded.