Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has strongly criticised the prolonged detention of Kaduna-based Islamic cleric Sheikh Sani Khalifa Zaria, calling for his immediate release or formal prosecution over alleged links to a coup plot.
Sheikh Khalifa, a prominent Tijaniyya scholar, has been held without trial since December 2025. His detention is reportedly connected to a ₦2 million bank transfer he received from a soldier implicated in the alleged plot, though he maintains he was unaware of any subversive purpose.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, 25 March 2026, Atiku, a leading figure in the African Democratic Congress (ADC), condemned the authorities for disregarding a Federal High Court order requiring the cleric to be produced in court.
Read related news:
Front pages of Newspapers around World — 25 March 2026
Atiku hails Obasanjo at 89
Atiku alleges APC plot to destabilise ADC through judiciary
He described the situation as “a direct affront to the rule of law and judicial authority”.
“There can be no democracy without strict adherence to the rule of law,” Atiku stated. “No security agency is above the Constitution, and none has the power to treat the rights of citizens as privileges to be dispensed with at will.”
The former vice president raised particular concern over reports that Sheikh Khalifa has been denied access to his family, legal counsel, and adequate medical care during his months in custody.
Read the related story on New Daily Prime: Sheikh Gumi urges Nigeria to end military cooperation with US over airstrikes
He warned that allowing such practices to continue poses a serious threat to Nigeria’s democratic institutions and the fundamental rights of all citizens.
Atiku also highlighted growing public speculation about the cleric’s condition, noting that the authorities’ silence has only deepened mistrust.
“Nigeria cannot continue to claim the status of a democracy while the rights of its citizens are routinely and brazenly violated,” he added.
He urged relevant security agencies to either free Sheikh Sani Khalifa without delay or charge him before a competent court, insisting that anything short of this constitutes unlawful detention and an abuse of power.
For more news, visit New Daily Prime at www.newdailyprime.news
