The media adviser to former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai, Muyiwa Adekeye, has said the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has yet to respond to his principal’s bail application, eight days after his detention.
In a statement posted on X on Monday night, Adekeye said, “Today marks eight days since Malam Nasir El-Rufai was detained. He voluntarily reported at the EFCC on the morning of Monday, February 16, 2026, in response to an invitation.”
He explained that El-Rufai was initially held by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) until the night of February 18, when he was transferred to ICPC custody.
“As at today, his lawyers have not received any response from the ICPC to their bail application, nor have they been shown any remand order, even though the 48-hour window for holding a person without charge has expired,” Adekeye added.
Court proceedings
Adekeye noted that at least two court matters involving El-Rufai are scheduled for this week.
“The hearing in his fundamental rights case against the Federal Government, the ICPC, the EFCC and the DSS has been fixed for February 25. The case before the FCT High Court seeks an order admitting him to bail,” he said.
El-Rufai is also scheduled for arraignment on the same date on the charges filed by the DSS.
Additionally, the former governor has approached the Federal High Court to challenge the legality of a search conducted at his Abuja residence on February 19. His suit seeks a declaration that the search warrant was invalid due to lack of particularity, drafting errors, ambiguity, overbreadth, and lack of probable cause. He is also asking the court to declare that the search violated his fundamental rights and to prevent authorities from using recovered items against him in any proceedings.
Detention timeline
Adekeye provided a chronology of events, noting that ICPC officials searched El-Rufai’s residence on February 19, followed by further interrogation on February 20. A bail application was filed afterward but has yet to receive a response.
During his earlier detention by the EFCC from February 16 to 18, El-Rufai was granted administrative bail with conditions, including a serving federal permanent secretary as surety. His lawyers sought a variation of the terms.
El-Rufai’s counsel, Ubong Akpan, reportedly described his continued custody as “unlawful detention without justification” and alleged difficulties in access by lawyers and family. Adekeye added that the former governor experienced an overnight episode of nosebleed during detention.
The statement also claimed that on February 12, El-Rufai’s passport was seized at the airport during a failed attempt to arrest him, which his lawyers condemned as unlawful. He later received a formal invitation from the ICPC to appear for questioning, which his lawyers responded to by arranging for him to report on February 18.
El-Rufai is currently involved in multiple legal proceedings involving security and anti-corruption agencies, including ongoing investigations, pending charges, and suits challenging aspects of his detention and the search of his residence.
