The family of Nasir El-Rufai, former Governor of Kaduna State has called for his immediate and unconditional release from the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), insisting that his continued detention lacks any legal basis.
In a statement signed by his son, Mohammed El-Rufai, the family said the former Federal Capital Territory (FCT) minister has remained in ICPC custody even after the expiration of the initial legal order permitting his detention.
El-Rufai was first taken into custody on February 18, 2026, after responding to an invitation from the anti-graft agency.
A magistrate’s court subsequently issued a remand order on February 19, allowing the ICPC to detain him for 14 days pending investigation.
The family argued that this period has since elapsed and that the agency has neither filed charges in a competent court nor obtained a fresh order authorising his continued detention.
“As of today, there is no valid legal instrument authorising his detention,” the statement said, describing the development as “unlawful” and urging the ICPC to release him immediately.
The statement comes amid mounting legal and political tension following a raid on El-Rufai’s Abuja residence by ICPC operatives on February 19, shortly after confirming his custody.
According to Muyiwa Adekeye, his media adviser, officials arrived around 2 p.m. and conducted a thorough search of the property.
El-Rufai’s lawyer, Ubong Akpan, condemned the operation, describing it as “unlawful and a clear violation of legal procedures and fundamental rights.”
While the ICPC confirmed El-Rufai’s detention in connection with an ongoing investigation, the agency has not disclosed details of the case.
The search prompted the former governor to file a N1 billion fundamental rights enforcement suit against the ICPC.
Through his legal team, led by Oluwole Iyamu, El-Rufai is asking the court to declare the search warrant used by the agency invalid and unconstitutional, arguing that it lacked specificity and violated his constitutional rights to dignity, personal liberty, fair hearing, and privacy.
The case has drawn widespread political attention, particularly given El-Rufai’s recent criticisms of the Federal Government and his growing alignment with the African Democratic Congress (ADC) ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Despite ongoing investigations and legal proceedings, El-Rufai’s family insists that the ICPC must either formally charge him in court or release him, warning that continued detention without lawful authority undermines due process and the rule of law.
