The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has not approved bail for Nasir El-Rufai eight days after he was taken into custody, prompting concern from his legal representatives and relatives. In a statement issued on Monday, Muyiwa Adekeye, El-Rufai’s media adviser, said the former Kaduna State governor has remained detained since he voluntarily honored an invitation from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on February 16, 2026.
Adekeye explained that El-Rufai was held by the EFCC until the evening of February 18, when he was transferred to the ICPC. He added that the former governor’s legal team submitted a formal bail request to the ICPC on February 19 but has not received any response. According to the statement, the lawyers have also not been presented with any remand order authorizing his continued detention, despite the expiration of the 48-hour constitutional limit for holding an individual without formal charges.
Adekeye further revealed that two separate court proceedings involving El-Rufai are scheduled for this week. A fundamental rights enforcement case against the Federal Government, the ICPC, the EFCC, and the Department of State Services (DSS) is set to be heard on February 25 at the Federal Capital Territory High Court, seeking an order granting him bail. He is also expected to be arraigned the same day over charges reportedly filed by the DSS.
Outlining the sequence of events, Adekeye stated that ICPC operatives searched El-Rufai’s residence on Aso Drive on February 19. His lawyer, Ubong Akpan, criticized the operation, describing it as unlawful and executed with a defective warrant. El-Rufai has since filed a suit at the Federal High Court, requesting that the warrant be declared invalid on grounds including absence of probable cause, excessive scope, and drafting irregularities.
The case lists the ICPC, the Chief Magistrate of the FCT, the Inspector-General of Police, and the Attorney-General of the Federation as respondents. El-Rufai is also asking the court to bar authorities from using any items seized during the search in legal proceedings against him.
Earlier, between February 16 and 18, he was questioned by the EFCC and granted administrative bail under conditions that reportedly required a serving federal permanent secretary to stand as surety. Although his lawyers sought a review of those bail terms, he remained in detention. Akpan described the development as unlawful confinement and said both legal counsel and family members encountered challenges in gaining access to him.
Source: https://trustradio.com.ng/
