El-Rufai in Danger? Outrage as DSS Accused of Fresh Kidnap Plot Right Inside Abuja Court
By Passman Akpos
Fresh controversy has erupted over the continued detention of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, as activist Ibrahim Garba Wala (IG Wala) and political commentator Timi Frank have raised urgent concerns over what they described as institutional lawlessness, custodial torture, and an alleged plot by the Department of State Services (DSS) to abduct the former governor from court.
In a strongly worded open letter addressed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the United Nations Human Rights bodies, the European Union Delegation to Nigeria, ECOWAS, and the diplomatic community, IG Wala described El-Rufai’s nearly three-month detention by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) as a dangerous descent into state-sponsored intimidation and constitutional abuse.
According to the letter, what initially began as anti-corruption investigations has allegedly transformed into what he called a campaign of “psychological and soft torture,” marked by disregard for judicial directives and basic human dignity.
Wala alleged that on Friday, May 15, 2026, ICPC officials reportedly prevented El-Rufai’s personal physician from accessing him despite an existing court order granting unrestricted medical access. He further claimed that El-Rufai’s wife, Aichatou, was denied access when she attempted to deliver his evening meal, allegedly based on an unwritten institutional curfew.
He described the denial of medical care and family support as a dangerous violation of human rights, warning that fears over the detainee’s safety and health had intensified.
The activist also raised alarm over what he described as credible intelligence suggesting plans to transfer El-Rufai from ICPC custody to the DSS, a move he said would amount to unconstitutional administrative detention and a deliberate tactic of psychological torture.
He argued that since El-Rufai has already been arraigned before both the Federal High Court and Kaduna State High Court, any attempt to shuffle him between security agencies would violate Sections 35 and 36 of the 1999 Constitution and undermine due process.
Adding to the controversy, Wala alleged that security operatives were planning coordinated raids on the residences of El-Rufai’s wives, describing such action as “the weaponization of terror” against innocent family members.
He appealed directly to President Tinubu to intervene by ordering immediate compliance with court directives, halting any inter-agency transfer to the DSS, and stopping any form of harassment against El-Rufai’s family.
Meanwhile, Timi Frank, in a separate statement released early Monday, alleged that the DSS had concluded plans to arrest El-Rufai from the Federal High Court in Abuja during his scheduled appearance before Justice M.B. Idris.
Frank claimed the move was part of what he described as a grand political strategy by the Tinubu administration to eliminate El-Rufai politically.
“Plans have allegedly been concluded by the DSS to forcefully take him into custody today from the Federal High Court, Abuja,” Frank stated, adding that such action would directly contradict existing court orders directing that El-Rufai remain in ICPC custody pending judicial determination.
He further alleged that security operatives held a late-night meeting to finalize arrangements for what he termed a forceful abduction plot.
The allegations have since triggered fresh debate across political circles, with concerns mounting over the use of anti-graft and security institutions in politically sensitive cases.
As of press time, neither the ICPC, DSS, nor the Presidency had issued an official response to the allegations.
