The detention of former governor, Nasir El-Rufai by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has sparked fresh controversy, with his family arguing that investigators no longer have a valid legal basis to keep him in custody.
In a statement released on Friday, the former governor’s son, Bello El-Rufai, said his father has been held for more than three weeks, despite what the family claims is the expiration of a court-approved remand order.
According to the family, El-Rufai was taken into custody on February 18, and the anti-corruption agency later obtained a remand order from a magistrate’s court to allow time for further investigation. They argue, however, that the order only permitted a limited detention period and has since expired.
The family said that with no fresh court order or formal charges filed, there is no legal justification for the continued detention of the former governor. They urged authorities to either bring him before a court or release him immediately.
El-Rufai, who governed Kaduna State between 2015 and 2023, is being investigated over allegations linked to corruption and claims that he obstructed a security operation at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.
Authorities say the case forms part of a broader probe into activities connected to his time in office. He is also reported to be under scrutiny by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over corruption-related allegations.
The El-Rufai family has denied the claims and maintains that the investigation is politically motivated, insisting that the former governor should either be formally charged in court or released from custody.
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