• Firestorm over release without court order
By Michael AMAJAMA
It was a moment of keeping political differences aside as the elite across political divides were out in full force for the Janazah (funeral prayers) and internment for Hajiya Umma El-Rufai, mother of Malam Nasiru El-Rufai, former Kaduna State governor.
Leading a coterie of power brokers traducers at the funeral prayers at the National Mosque, Abuja, was President Bola Tinubu, National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, Governors Uba Sani, Babagana Zulum, Umar Bago, of Kaduna, Borno and Niger States, respectively.
Also in attendance were Governors Umar Radda of Katsina, Muhammad Yahaya of Gombe, Mai Mala Buni, Kebbi’s Mohammed Nasir Idris, former Governor Ali Modu Sheriff of Borno, and Senator Uba Sani, a one-time ally of the embattled former governor.
Senior members of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, were also present. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Mr. Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 elections, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, former Transportation minister, Senator Aminu Tambuwal, Mr. Osita Chidoka, former Aviation minister as well as Mallam Isa Pantami, former Communications and Digital Economy minister.
Africa’s richest man and chairman of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, was also present. Other top government officials and dignitaries, including former and serving governors, as well as opposition figures, attended the funeral prayer.
Other prominent figures that had paid condolence visit to El-Rufai include the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, at his Abuja residence.
Hajiya Umma, who was was laid to rest in Abuja on Sunday at Gudu Cemetery following funeral prayers conducted in line with Islamic rites, died on Friday in Cairo, Egypt, where she had been receiving medical treatment.
Following her death, her son, Mallam El-Rufai, who had been in detention of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Offences Commission, ICPC, for over a month, was released on administrative bail though he was remanded based on a court order.
The release has sparked serious debate on the propriety or otherwise of the ICPC’s action.
Lawyer and activist, Richard Akinnola, questioned the rationale for the release in a Facebook post.
“El-Rufai’s bail application has not yet been heard. The court ordered that he be remanded in the ICPC custody pending the hearing of his bail application next week. So, under which order did the ICPC release him for his mum’s burial? I don’t get it,” he wrote.
Also, Adeyanju Deji, lawyer and social acitivist, while commending the release stressed that it should be backed by a court order.
Deji wrote: “The decision to grant Mallam Nasir El-Rufai temporary release from Independent Corrupt Practices Commission custody to attend his mother’s burial is both humane and commendable but must be backed by court decision/order since he was remanded in custody on the order of the court.”