A former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has yet to receive a response from the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission on his bail application, his media adviser, Muyiwa Adekeye, said Monday.
El-Rufai voluntarily reported to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Feb. 16 following an invitation. He was held there until the night of Feb. 18, when he was transferred to the ICPC.
Adekeye said El-Rufai’s lawyers have not been shown any remand order, despite the expiration of the 48-hour legal limit for detention without charge.
In a post on X, Adekeye said El-Rufai is scheduled to be arraigned Feb. 25 on charges filed by the Department of State Services.
On the same day, the Federal Capital Territory High Court is expected to hear his fundamental rights suit against the federal government, the ICPC, the EFCC and the DSS, seeking an order granting him bail.
“Today marks eight days since Malam Nasir El-Rufai was detained,” Adekeye said. “He voluntarily reported at the EFCC on Monday, Feb. 16, 2026, in response to an invitation and has been held since.”
He added that El-Rufai was granted administrative bail by the EFCC under conditions that included providing a serving federal permanent secretary as surety but remained in custody until his transfer to the ICPC.
According to Adekeye, El-Rufai’s lawyers have not received a response to the bail application submitted to the ICPC and have not been provided any remand order.
The detention follows events that began after El-Rufai returned to Nigeria on Feb. 12. Adekeye said his passport was seized at the airport during what his lawyers described as an unlawful arrest attempt.
Hours later, the ICPC asked him to report on Feb. 13, but he proposed to appear on Feb. 18.
Adekeye said El-Rufai remained in EFCC custody between Feb. 16 and Feb. 18 despite being granted administrative bail. His lawyer, Ubong Akpan, described the continued detention as unlawful and said access to him by family members and legal representatives was restricted.
On Feb. 19, ICPC operatives searched El-Rufai’s residence on Aso Drive. Akpan described the search as unlawful and said it was carried out under a defective warrant.
Adekeye said El-Rufai filed a suit at the Federal High Court on Feb. 23 challenging the validity of the search warrant, citing lack of specificity, ambiguity, overbreadth and absence of probable cause. The suit also seeks to bar the use of items seized during the search in any proceedings against him.
He added that ICPC interrogation of El-Rufai continued Feb. 20.
