The family of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has called for his immediate release from the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), describing his continued detention as unlawful and politically motivated.
In a statement issued on Friday by his eldest son, Hon. Bello El-Rufai, the family said the former governor has been held without a valid legal basis following the expiration of a remand order previously granted by a magistrate court.
According to the statement, El-Rufai was first taken into ICPC custody on February 18, 2026, and the agency obtained a 14-day remand order from a magistrate court on February 19 while investigations were ongoing.
The family argued that the order authorized detention only for a limited period, which has now expired, and that no new court order or formal charges have been filed.
“As of today, March 6, 2026, Nasir El-Rufai remains in ICPC custody under circumstances that have no basis in law,” the statement read. “There is currently no valid legal instrument authorizing his detention.”
The family further accused the ICPC of failing to either charge him before a competent court or release him.
“Despite the expiration of any legal cover for his detention, the ICPC persists in holding him. This is no longer a matter of lawful procedure; it is unlawful, brazen self-help,” the statement said.
Expressing fears that the anti-corruption agency is being used as an instrument of political persecution, the family called for El-Rufai’s immediate release.
“The path forward is clear and logical: release him immediately,” the statement added.
The ICPC has not publicly responded to the family’s claims as of the time of filing this report.