According to the statement signed by Mohammed Bello El-Rufai, a member of the House of Representatives and son of the former governor, and shared by Muyiwa Adekeye, a media aide to the embattled chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), there is no legal basis for the continued detainment of the politician.
The ex-governor’s family alleged that the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has continued to keep El-Rufai in detention unlawfully and illegally.
The statement reads in part: “As of today, March 6, 2026, Nasir El-Rufai remains in ICPC custody under circumstances that have no basis in law. We state categorically that there is currently no valid legal instrument authorising his detention.”
Read the full statement on X here:
Statement from the Family of Mallam Nasir El-Rufai on His Unlawful Detention.
March 6, 2026 – The family of Nasir El-Rufai wishes to address the public on the unlawful and ongoing detention of our husband and father by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
As of today, March 6, 2026, Nasir El-Rufai remains in ICPC custody under circumstances that have no basis in law. We state categorically that there is currently no valid legal instrument authorizing his detention.
To be clear:
1. Initial Detention: Mallam @elrufai was taken into ICPC custody on February 18, 2026.
2. Defective Order: Following his detention, the ICPC obtained a remand order from a magistrate court on February 19. However, this order was defective from the outset and, by law, provided only a 14-day window for his detention.
3. Expired Authority: That 14-day period has now ended. The ICPC has not charged him with any offense in a competent court. Neither have they secured a fresh or extended lawful order to continue detaining 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 ICPC has failed in its fundamental obligation to either charge him before a court of competent jurisdiction or release him.
The path forward is clear and logical: release him immediately. Their refusal to do so confirms what we have long feared—that the ICPC is being wielded as a tool for political persecution rather than operating as an impartial institution of justice.
We demand the immediate and unconditional release of Nasir El-Rufai.
Signed,
The Family of Mallam Nasir El-Rufai
6th March 2026
Signed
Hon. Mohammed Bello El-Rufai
Member. A PROUD SON OF MALLAM NASIR EL-RUFAI
Kaduna North Federal Constituency
Chairman, Committee on Banking Regulations.
March 6, 2026.
