El-Rufai’s family demands release of ex-governor, accuses ICPC of unlawful detention
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), describing his continued detention as unlawful.
In a statement issued on Friday, the family said the former governor had remained in ICPC custody even though the legal authority that initially allowed his detention had expired.
The statement was signed by Mohammed Bello El‑Rufai, who said he had previously refrained from commenting publicly but decided to speak in order to clarify the circumstances surrounding his father’s detention.
According to him, the former governor was first taken into custody by the anti-graft agency on February 18, 2026. The ICPC subsequently obtained a remand order from a magistrate court the following day to keep him in detention.
The family, however, argued that the court order only permitted his detention for 14 days and that the period had already elapsed without any formal charges being filed against him in a competent court.
“The ICPC has not charged him with any offence in a competent court. Neither have they secured a fresh or extended lawful order to continue detaining him. Despite the expiration of any legal cover for his detention, the commission persists in holding him. This is no longer a matter of lawful procedure; it is unlawful,” the statement said.
The family also accused the commission of failing to either prosecute the former governor or release him, insisting that due legal processes must be followed in handling the case. They further alleged that the anti-corruption agency was being used as a political tool against the former governor, maintaining that his continued detention raises concerns about fairness and the rule of law.
The family concluded by demanding his immediate and unconditional release, insisting that the authorities must either charge him before a competent court or allow him to regain his freedom.
