Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has been temporarily released from the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
The development was announced on Friday night by his son, Bashir El-Rufai, via a post on X (formerly Twitter), where he confirmed his father’s release from detention.
In the post, Bashir expressed gratitude to supporters while criticising the circumstances surrounding his father’s arrest and detention.
El-Rufai had been in ICPC custody since February 18 over allegations related to financial misconduct and other offences. He spent over a month in detention before being arraigned earlier this week at the Federal High Court in Kaduna.
The former governor was charged alongside Joel Adoga on allegations involving the conversion and possession of public property, as well as money laundering.
He, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge, which is linked to deposits into domiciliary accounts and the handling of certain funds. The court subsequently adjourned ruling on his bail application to March 31, 2026.
In a separate matter, the ICPC has also filed another case against him and Amadu Sule at the Kaduna State High Court.
Additionally, the Department of State Services (DSS) has instituted a three-count charge against El-Rufai at the Federal High Court in Abuja. The case involves allegations of unlawful interception of phone communications belonging to the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, contrary to provisions of the Cybercrimes Act.
As of the time of filing this report, the ICPC had not issued an official statement detailing the conditions of his temporary release.
His release comes shortly after the death of his mother, Umma El-Rufai, who passed away in Cairo, Egypt.
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