A former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has yet to receive a response from the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) regarding his bail application, his media aide, Muyiwa Adekeye, disclosed on Monday.
El-Rufai turned himself in at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday, February 16, following an invitation. He remained in EFCC custody until the night of Wednesday, February 18, when he was transferred to the ICPC.
Adekeye stated in a post on X that El-Rufai’s legal team had neither received a response to their bail application nor been presented with any remand order, despite the expiration of the 48-hour constitutional limit for detention without charge.
He added that the former governor is scheduled to be arraigned on February 25 over charges filed by the Department of State Services (DSS).
On the same date, the Federal Capital Territory High Court is expected to hear his fundamental rights enforcement suit against the Federal Government, the ICPC, the EFCC, and the DSS. The suit seeks a court order admitting him to bail.
“Today marks eight days since Malam Nasir El-Rufai was detained. He voluntarily reported at the EFCC on Monday, 16 February 2026, in response to an invitation. He has been held since then — first by the EFCC and later transferred to the ICPC,” Adekeye wrote.
He maintained that the continued detention lacked legal backing, stressing that no remand order had been shown to El-Rufai’s lawyers.
The detention followed El-Rufai’s return to Nigeria on February 12. According to a timeline shared by Adekeye, his passport was seized at the airport during what his lawyers described as an unlawful arrest attempt.
Hours later, the ICPC invited him to report on February 13, but he proposed February 18 as a new date.
Adekeye further revealed that although El-Rufai was granted administrative bail by the EFCC with conditions including providing a serving federal permanent secretary as surety — he remained in custody between February 16 and 18.
His counsel, Ubong Akpan, reportedly described the continued detention and restricted access to family members and lawyers as unlawful.
On February 19, ICPC operatives searched El-Rufai’s residence on Aso Drive. Akpan faulted the operation, alleging that it was carried out with a defective warrant and violated his client’s fundamental rights.
Following the search, El-Rufai filed a suit at the Federal High Court on February 23, challenging the validity of the warrant on grounds of ambiguity, lack of specificity, overbreadth, and absence of probable cause. He is also seeking to restrain authorities from using any items recovered during the search in subsequent proceedings.
Adekeye noted that ICPC interrogation of the former governor continued on February 20.
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