Why El-Rufai is facing tough bail conditions in ICPC custody – Sanusi reveals

Emir of Kano Sanusi Lamido Sanusi has revealed that former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai, is undergoing stiff bail conditions as he attempts to secure freedom from detention by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

El-Rufai was put in custody by the anti-graft body from February 19 amid claims of financial misconduct involving his administration, which lasted for eight years as governor of Kaduna State between 2015 and 2023.

In a development, the ICPC presented the former governor before the Kaduna high court on April 13 on an amended nine-count charge of alleged fraud and abuse of office.

However, on Wednesday, El-Rufai Support Group Association (ERSGA), revealed that it has employed an advocacy firm based in the United States to coordinate its international campaign over the trial of el-Rufai.

According to Mohammed Salihu, director of strategic partnerships of ERSGA, the organisation had contracted Vanguard Africa, a firm in Washington DC, to liaise with policymakers, democracy advocates, and international stakeholders about developments concerning the prosecution of the former Kaduna State governor.

Addressing the press after the event, Sanusi revealed that el-Rufai was being held under the condition that an emir and senior government official act as a surety.

“For example, look at what is happening with my brother, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai. He is currently in custody, and the requirements for his release are incredibly difficult,” Sanusi said, speaking in Hausa.

“They stated that an emir and a senior government worker must sign his bail.”

The former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) also lamented the declining social and cultural standing of the northern region.

Sanusi said poverty has long existed in the region, but northerners have historically maintained their dignity and placed their trust in God despite economic hardship.

“Regarding the north, we all know that poverty has been a long-standing issue here. Yet, despite their poverty, northern people value and respect themselves, leaving everything in the hands of Almighty God,” he said.

“What is troubling the north is not just a lack of money, but the erosion of our culture, the testing of our patience, and the continuous attempt to copy other cultures across this country.”

Sanusi noted that northerners no longer command the level of acceptance and influence they once enjoyed in national politics.

“Previously, a northerner was widely accepted to lead the entire nation, but today, northerners are no longer viewed differently from anyone else,” he said.