Bail Is Not Meant To Be Punishment – Atiku Slams El-Rufai’s Ongoing Detention

According to Ireporter Online, former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has strongly criticised the continued detention and trial of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, describing the situation as a troubling test of Nigeria’s constitutional and democratic principles.

El-Rufai is currently standing trial over allegations bordering on corruption and national security breaches, while the Federal High Court has reportedly declined to revisit the bail conditions earlier imposed on him.

In a statement released through his media aide, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku argued that bail is a constitutional safeguard designed to protect the presumption of innocence and not a tool for punishment before conviction. He maintained that excessively strict or unrealistic bail requirements effectively amount to detention by procedural means rather than justice.

Atiku further questioned the fairness of the bail conditions, noting that demands such as producing a senior-level civil servant alongside stringent property verification requirements in highbrow areas of Abuja raise concerns about access to justice for ordinary citizens. He stressed that judicial discretion must always be exercised fairly and within the bounds of constitutional rights.

The former Vice President warned that the implications of such legal precedents go beyond El-Rufai’s case, cautioning that any citizen could face similar challenges if bail conditions become overly restrictive. He emphasized that the rule of law must remain consistent, protecting liberty regardless of political or personal status.