El-Rufai’s family demands his release from custody

The family of former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has called for his immediate release from the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), arguing that his continued detention lacks legal backing.

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A statement issued on behalf of the family on Friday by Mr El-Rufai’s son, Bello El-Rufai, who is a serving member of the House of Representatives, said the anti-corruption agency was holding the former governor without a valid court order, describing the situation as unlawful.

According to the statement dated 6 March (Friday) posted on his official Facebook page (https://web.facebook.com/bello.elrufai) the ICPC initially took Mr El-Rufai into custody on 18 February. He has now spent over three weeks in ICPC custody.

The family said the agency subsequently obtained a remand order from a magistrate’s court on 19 February to detain him for investigation. However, they argued that the order was defective and, in any case, only permitted a 14-day detention period.

With the period covered by the order now over without the ICPC filing charges against the former governor or obtaining a fresh court order to extend his detention, the family said, there is no basis to continue to detain him.

“As of today, 6 March, Nasir El-Rufai remains in ICPC custody under circumstances that have no basis in law,” the statement said.

“Despite the expiration of any legal cover for his detention, the ICPC persists in holding him. This is no longer a matter of lawful procedure; it is unlawful, brazen self-help.”

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Background

Mr El-Rufai, who served as governor of Kaduna State between 2015 and 2023, was detained by the ICPC in February over allegations related to corruption and obstruction of a lawful security operation.

He faces corruption allegations for which s linked to the former governor during an incident at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.

Authorities have said the probe forms part of a broader investigation into alleged attempts to obstruct security procedures.

Earlier response by the family

Shortly after his arrest, the El-Rufai family rejected the allegations and described the detention as politically motivated.

He faces investigations by the ICPC and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over corruption allegations stemming from his time as governor of Kaduna State.

In a rejoinder previously published by PREMIUM TIMES, the family insisted that the former governor had committed no offence and accused investigators of targeting him for political reasons.

They argued that the anti-graft agency should either charge him in court or release him unconditionally.

READ ALSO: Full list of 67 items ICPC recovered from El-Rufai’s Abuja home

Call for immediate release

In the latest statement, the family reiterated its demand for Mr El-Rufai’s immediate freedom, insisting that the ICPC had failed in its legal obligation to either prosecute or release him.

“The path forward is clear and logical: release him immediately,” the statement said.

“The refusal to do so confirms what we have long feared—that the ICPC is being wielded as a tool for political persecution rather than operating as an impartial institution of justice.”

The ICPC has yet to publicly respond to the family’s latest claims as of the time of filing this report.