Former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has been granted temporary bail from the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to attend the funeral rites of his mother, Hajiya Umma El-Rufai, who reportedly passed away in Cairo, Egypt, on Friday. An aide to the former governor confirmed that the release was approved on compassionate grounds following the family’s bereavement.
Reacting to the development, his son, Bashir El-Rufai, disclosed in a post on his X (formerly Twitter) handle that his father had been released from detention. He wrote: “My beloved great legend of a father (@elrufai) is being released from his unlawful and illegal detention at the hands of one of the most corrupt agencies in the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which is a lame excuse for a pathetic institution. Thank you all for your support. Our family shall never forget these times. We have overcome, as the El-Rufais.”
As of this report, the ICPC has yet to issue an official statement regarding the terms of his temporary release or the next steps in its investigation. The former Kaduna State Governor is currently facing a series of high-profile legal battles involving allegations of financial misconduct, money laundering, and national security breaches across multiple courts in Nigeria. El-Rufai has been in ICPC custody since February 18.
On March 24, the ICPC formally arraigned El-Rufai alongside co-defendant Joel Adoga at the Federal High Court in Kaduna. The charges include alleged conversion and possession of public property, as well as money laundering. He pleaded not guilty to a single charge linked to deposits into domiciliary accounts and the handling of earnings. The court adjourned ruling on his bail application to March 31, 2026, while he remains in custody.
In a separate matter, the ICPC has also filed a case at the Kaduna State High Court against El-Rufai and another defendant, Amadu Sule. Meanwhile, the Department of State Services (DSS) has instituted a three-count charge against the former governor at the Federal High Court in Abuja. This case centres on allegations of unlawful interception of phone communications belonging to the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, in violation of the Cybercrimes Act. His arraignment in this matter has been scheduled for April 23, 2026, following earlier delays due to his detention by the ICPC.
El-Rufai has, however, filed counter-suits challenging the actions of the authorities. In one suit, he is seeking ₦1 billion in damages against the ICPC and other agencies over a raid on his Abuja residence on February 19, which he claims was unlawful. He is also asking the court to declare the search warrant invalid and to restrain the use of any evidence obtained during the operation. In a separate action against the DSS, he is seeking ₦2 billion in damages and has requested the court to dismiss the wiretapping charges, describing them as unconstitutional harassment.
These legal battles follow a series of events that began on February 16, 2026, when El-Rufai was initially detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over an alleged ₦423 billion misappropriation. He was granted administrative bail on February 18 but was immediately re-arrested by the ICPC. His arraignment on March 24 in Kaduna marked a significant development in the unfolding cases, although journalists were barred from the courtroom during the proceedings.
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