Femi Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), has addressed concerns over the detention of former Governor Mallam Nasir El-Rufai
Speaking in an interview with The Legacy Series, Falana said some people are claiming that El-Rufai is being held illegally. He stated that the detention is actually legal under Nigerian law.
Falana explained that Section 293 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act empowers a magistrate, based on an ex parte application by law enforcement agency, to detain a Nigerian for 14 days and it is renewable up to 42 days.
In Falana’s words: “People are complaining that Mallam El-Rufai is being detained illegally. No, he is being detained legally. This law was made in 2015, Section 293 of the administration of criminal justice act empowers a magistrate on the bases or an ex parte application by the police, EFCC, ICPC or any law enforcement agency to ask for the detention of a Nigerian for 14 days, renewable up to 42 days”