MUSLIM RIGHTS
CONCERN (MURIC)
هيئة حقوق المسلمين
Motto: Dialogue,
Not Violence
7th March, 2026
PRESS RELEASE:
EL-RUFAI'S ALLEGED BLEEDING NOSE:
EVIDENCE OF BRUTALISATION IN CUSTODY? - MURIC
A civil liberties advocacy group, the Muslim Rights Concern
(MURIC) has raised questions about the alleged bleeding nose of the former
governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai who is currently in the custody
of a security agency. The group also wanted to know if this development was
responsible for his absence in court on the day of his expected arraignment.
The questions were raised in a statement circulated to the press
on Saturday, 7th March, 2026 by the Executive Director of MURIC, Professor
Ishaq Akintola.
He said further:
"Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, former governor of Kaduna State,
reportedly suffered from a bleeding nose recently while still in the custody of
one of the security agencies. To date, there has been no comment on this ugly
development from official quarters.
"El-Rufai's bleeding nose may be as a result of
brutalisation in custody or due to denial of access to his medicine. We also
want to know if this ugly development was responsible for his absence in court
on the day of his expected arraignment.
"The Muslim Rights Concern is concerned because the Nigerian
project is the joint responsibility of all its citizens. Ditto for the security
and welfare of its citizens, particularly those in detention.
"It is the duty of human rights groups and the rest of civil
society to interrogate the actions and inactions of security agencies and to
ensure transparency and accountability in their handling of suspects.
"The case of a detainee suffering a bleeding nose should
naturally attract questions. Mallam El-Rufai is a former minister and a former
state governor. He is therefore a respected citizen of this country. We believe
that he deserves decent treatment no matter the charges he is facing. Those
charges are there for the courts to determine their weight and merit.
“It is in the interest of the jamaahiir (poor masses) of
this great country to be worried if, allegedly, a former minister and former
governor cannot get decent treatment. The next question should be: what if it
is an ordinary Nigerian? That is why we are asking questions. There can be no
future for this country if we all forget those in detention particularly those
whose detention seem to have political undercurrent.
“We assert clearly, unequivocally and emphatically that Mallam
El-Rufai deserves good treatment and access to his medical doctor and medicine.
It was therefore disturbing to hear that his wife who brought food for him sometime
ago was not allowed to hand over the food to him directly but through his
captors. This is a dangerous trend that even kindergarten kids understand its
implications (https://dailytrust.com/el-rufais-nose-bled-in-detention-wife-prevented-from-delivering-his-meal-aide/).
"Our security agencies will benefit immensely from
civility, humility and high level professionalism in their treatment of
suspects. An Hitlerian age Gestapo style will only create a wide gulf between
the security agencies and the citizens while giving the false optics of a
banana republic in the minds of Nigerians and outsiders.
"We remind the handlers of Mallam Nasir El-Rufai
of the need to respect his Allah-given fundamental human rights. In
particular, we are concerned about his right to the Dignity of the Human Person
as guaranteed in Section 34 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria which says 'No person shall be subjected to torture or to inhuman or
degrading treatment'."
“We note with concern that supporters of El-Rufai have staged
protests in Kaduna. Yet we are relieved that the protests have been peaceful so
far. We appeal to all to remain peaceful, calm and law-abiding.”
#ElRufai
#BleedingNose
#RightToSelfDignity
Professor Ishaq
Akintola,
Founder/Executive
Director,
Muslim Rights
Concern (MURIC).
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