ICPC Yet To Act On El-Rufai’s Bail Application – Aide
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 not responded to his principal’s bail application eight days after his detention.
In a statement posted on X on Monday night, Adekeye wrote, “Today marks eight days since Malam Nasir El-Rufai was detained. He voluntarily reported at the EFCC in the morning of Monday, February 16, 2026, in response to an invitation.”
According to him, El-Rufai was initially held by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) until the night of February 18, when he was moved to ICPC custody.
“As at today, his lawyers have not received any response from the ICPC to their application for bail; and they have not been shown any remand order as the 48-hour window for holding a person without charge has expired,” Adekeye added.
Court Proceedings
The aide said at least two court matters involving the former governor are scheduled for hearing this week.
He stated, “The hearing in his fundamental rights case against the Federal Government, the ICPC, the EFCC and the DSS has been fixed for 25th February. This case, which is before the FCT High Court, is seeking an order to admit him to bail.”
He added that El-Rufai “is scheduled for arraignment on the same date on the widely publicised charges filed by the DSS.”
Adekeye also disclosed that El-Rufai has approached the Federal High Court to challenge the legality of a search conducted at his Abuja residence on February 19.
He said the suit seeks a declaration “that the search warrant is invalid, for lack of particularity, material drafting errors, ambiguity in execution parameters, overbreadth and lack of probable cause.”
The former governor is also asking the court to rule that the search violated his fundamental rights and to restrain authorities from using items recovered during the operation in any proceedings against him.
Detention Timeline
Providing a chronology of events, Adekeye said ICPC officials searched El-Rufai’s residence on February 19, after which he underwent further interrogation on February 20.
He noted that a bail application was filed after the interrogation, but “has had no response, so far.”
On his earlier detention by the EFCC between 16 and 18 February, the aide said El-Rufai was granted administrative bail with conditions, including a serving federal permanent secretary as surety, while his lawyers sought a variation of the terms.
Adekeye also relayed complaints by El-Rufai’s counsel, Ubong Akpan, who described his continued custody at the time as “unlawful detention without justification.”
He further alleged that access to the former governor by lawyers and family members was difficult, adding that “his lawyers have reported that he suffered an overnight episode of bleeding from his nose.”
The statement further claimed that on February 12, El-Rufai’s passport “was snatched at the airport, during a failed attempt to arrest him,” an action his lawyers reportedly condemned as unlawful.
Adekeye said the ICPC later issued a letter inviting him for questioning, to which his lawyers responded that he would honour the invitation on February 18.
El-Rufai is currently entangled in multiple legal proceedings involving security and anti-corruption agencies, including pending charges and ongoing investigations, as well as suits he has filed challenging aspects of his detention and the search of his residence.
