The family of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has accused the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) of unlawfully detaining him without pressing any charges or securing valid legal authority to continue holding him.
In a statement issued on Friday, March 6, 2026, and signed by his son, Hon. Mohammed Bello El-Rufai, the lawmaker representing Kaduna North Federal Constituency and Chairman of the House Committee on Banking Regulation the family described the continued detention as lacking any legal basis.
According to the statement, El-Rufai was first taken into ICPC custody on February 18, 2026.
The following day, February 19, the commission obtained a remand order from a magistrate’s court, which the family says was defective and legally valid for only 14 days.
“That 14-day period has now expired,” the family stated. “The ICPC has not charged him with any offence before a competent court, nor have they obtained a fresh or extended lawful order to justify his continued detention.”
The family insisted that, with the remand order having lapsed, there is currently “no valid legal instrument authorising his detention,” and described the situation as “brazen self-help” by the anti-graft agency.
They accused the ICPC of failing in its obligation to either formally charge El-Rufai in court or release him unconditionally, and claimed the prolonged detention without due process points to political persecution rather than impartial law enforcement.
“This is no longer a matter of lawful procedure; it is unlawful,” the statement read. “We demand the immediate and unconditional release of Nasir El-Rufai.”
The development comes amid earlier reports of El-Rufai remaining silent in custody while alleging political motivation behind his detention.
No official response from the ICPC had been issued as of the time of this report.
The case has drawn attention to questions of due process, the scope of remand orders, and the use of anti-corruption agencies in politically sensitive matters.
Further updates, including any possible court filings or statements from the ICPC, are awaited.
Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
No comments
Post a Comment
Kindly drop a comment below.
(Comments are moderated. Clean comments will be approved immediately)
Advert Enquires - Reach out to us at NigerianEye@gmail.com