JUST IN: ICPC temporarily releases El-Rufai to attend mother’s funeral

Nasir el-Rufai, a former governor of Kaduna State, has been temporarily released from the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

The release is to allow him attend the funeral rites of his mother, Hajiya Umma El-Rufai, who died in Cairo, Egypt, on Friday.

His son, Bashir El-Rufai, disclosed in a post on his X (formerly Twitter) handle on Friday.

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, that is a lame excuse of a pathetic institution.

“Thank you all for all the support. Our family shall never forget these times. We have overcome, as the El-Rufais.”

The ICPC has yet to issue an official statement regarding the terms of his temporary release as of the time of filing this report.

El-Rufai has been in ICPC custody since February 18 over allegations bordering on financial misconduct and other related matters.

On March 24, the ICPC formally arraigned him 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 however pleaded not guilty to a single-count 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 case, the ICPC has also filed charges at the Kaduna State High Court against El-Rufai and another defendant, Amadu Sule.

Meanwhile, the Department of State Services (DSS) has filed a three-count charge against the former governor at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

The 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 the 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.