- Former Kaduna governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has been released from ICPC custody after weeks of detention
- The release was granted on compassionate grounds following the death of El-Rufai’s mother in Cairo, Egypt
- Meanwhile, ICPC has yet to officially state the conditions attached to his temporary release
Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has been released from the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) after weeks of detention.
His son, Bashir El-Rufai, announced the development on Friday, March 27, via his X (formerly Twitter) handle, confirming that his father had regained freedom.
“My beloved great legend of a father (@elrufai) is being released from his unlawful and illegal detention at the hands of one of the most corrupt agencies in the Federal Republic of Nigeria, that is a lame excuse of a pathetic institution.
Thank you all for all the support. Our family shall never forget these times. We have overcome, as the El-Rufais,” he wrote.
Further details indicate that the former governor was granted temporary bail on compassionate grounds, following the death of his mother, Hajiya Umma El-Rufai, who reportedly passed away earlier on Friday in Cairo, Egypt.
An aide to the former governor confirmed that the release was approved to enable him attend her funeral rites.
As of the time of filing this report, the ICPC has yet to issue an official statement clarifying the conditions attached to his release or the next steps in its ongoing investigation.
El-Rufai has been in ICPC custody since February 18, 2026, over allegations involving financial misconduct and related offences.
On March 24, the anti-corruption agency arraigned him alongside a co-defendant, Joel Adoga, before the Federal High Court in Kaduna.
The charges include alleged conversion and possession of public property, as well as money laundering.
He pleaded not guilty to the charge, which is linked to deposits into domiciliary accounts and the handling of earnings.
The court subsequently adjourned ruling on his bail application to March 31, 2026.
In a separate case, the ICPC has also filed charges against him at the Kaduna State High Court, while the Department of State Services (DSS) has instituted a three-count charge at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The DSS case centres on allegations of unlawful interception of phone communications belonging to the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, in violation of the Cybercrimes Act. His arraignment is scheduled for April 23, 2026.
Meanwhile, El-Rufai has filed multiple counter-suits challenging the actions of the authorities.
He is seeking N1 billion in damages against the ICPC and other agencies over a February 19 raid on his Abuja residence, which he described as unlawful. He is also asking the court to nullify the search warrant and prevent the use of any evidence obtained during the operation.
In another suit against the DSS, he is demanding N2 billion in damages and has asked the court to dismiss the wiretapping charges, describing them as unconstitutional harassment.
The legal battles stem from events that began on February 16, 2026, when El-Rufai was initially detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over an alleged N423 billion misappropriation.
Although he was granted administrative bail on February 18, he was immediately re-arrested by the ICPC.