Abuja-based constitutional lawyer and rights activist, Deji Adeyanju, has commended the Federal Government for granting a temporary release to former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, following the death of his mother. Hajia Umma El-Rufai, mother of the ex-governor, died on Friday in Cairo, Egypt, where she had reportedly been receiving treatment for an undisclosed illness. In a statement issued on Saturday in Abuja, Adeyanju praised the government for demonstrating compassion, while stressing that the decision must rest on firm legal footing. He said, “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. The decision to grant him temporary release, therefore, sits at the intersection of law, politics, and humanitarian consideration—an unusual but not unprecedented development in Nigeria’s justice system, where courts and enforcement agencies occasionally allow detainees to attend critical family obligations under strict supervision.

Source: Punch March 28, 2026 17:08 UTC