El-Rufai Family Says ICPC Detention Unlawful, Demands Immediate Release

The family of former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai has demanded his immediate release from the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), insisting that his detention is unlawful.

In a statement signed by his son, Mohammed Bello El-Rufai, the family said the former Federal Capital Territory minister has remained in ICPC custody despite the expiration of the initial court order that allowed his detention.

El-Rufai was first taken into custody on February 18, 2026, after responding to an ICPC invitation. A magistrate’s court issued a 14-day remand order the following day, but the family noted that the detention period has since lapsed without any charges being filed or a fresh order obtained to justify keeping him in custody.

“As of today, there is no valid legal instrument authorising his detention,” the statement said, calling the ICPC action “unlawful” and demanding his immediate release.

The call comes amid heightened legal and political tensions following a raid on El-Rufai’s Abuja residence by ICPC operatives on February 19. According to his media adviser, Muyiwa Adekeye, officials arrived around 2 p.m. and conducted a search of the property.

El-Rufai’s lawyer, Ubong Akpan, condemned the operation as “unlawful and a clear violation of legal procedures and fundamental rights.” While the ICPC confirmed his detention in connection with an ongoing investigation, it provided no details about the case.

In response to the raid, El-Rufai filed a ₦1 billion fundamental rights enforcement suit against the ICPC. Led by Oluwole Iyamu (SAN), his legal team is challenging the constitutionality of the search warrant, arguing it violated his rights to dignity, personal liberty, fair hearing, and privacy.

The matter has attracted national attention, particularly as El-Rufai has recently criticised the Federal Government and aligned with the African Democratic Congress (ADC) ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The family insists that the ICPC must either charge El-Rufai in court or release him immediately, warning that continued detention without lawful authority undermines due process and the rule of law.