The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has not approved bail for Nasir El-Rufai eight days after he was taken into custody, a development his legal team and family say is troubling
In a statement issued on Monday, Muyiwa Adekeye, media aide to the former Kaduna State governor, said El-Rufai has been in detention since February 16, 2026, when he honoured an invitation from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Adekeye explained that El-Rufai remained with the EFCC until the night of February 18 before being moved to the custody of the ICPC. He added that his lawyers filed a bail application with the commission on February 19 but have yet to receive any feedback.
According to him, the legal team has also not been presented with any remand order authorising his continued detention, despite the lapse of the 48-hour constitutional limit for holding a suspect without charge.
He further revealed that two separate court proceedings involving El-Rufai are slated for this week. A fundamental rights enforcement suit against the Federal Government, the ICPC, the EFCC and the Department of State Services is scheduled for hearing on February 25 at the Federal Capital Territory High Court, seeking an order to grant him bail.
On the same day, El-Rufai is expected to be arraigned over charges reportedly filed by the DSS.
Detailing recent events, Adekeye said ICPC operatives searched El-Rufai’s residence on Aso Drive on February 19. His lawyer, Ubong Akpan, criticised the operation, describing the warrant as defective and the search as unlawful. El-Rufai has since approached the Federal High Court to challenge the validity of the warrant, arguing that it lacked probable cause, was overly broad and contained material drafting errors.
The suit lists the ICPC, the Chief Magistrate of the FCT, the Inspector-General of Police and the Attorney-General of the Federation as respondents. He is also asking the court to bar authorities from using any items recovered during the search in future proceedings against him.
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