The media adviser to former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai, Muyiwa Adekeye, has stated that the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has not replied to his principal’s bail application eight days after he was taken into custody.
In a statement shared on X on Monday night, Adekeye said, “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.”
He explained that El-Rufai was first held by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission until the evening of February 18, when he was transferred to the custody of the ICPC.
“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 disclosed that at least two separate court cases involving the former governor are scheduled for hearing during the week.
He said, “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 further stated that El-Rufai “is scheduled for arraignment on the same date on the widely publicised charges filed by the DSS.”
Adekeye also revealed that the former governor has filed a case at the Federal High Court contesting the legality of a search conducted at his Abuja residence on February 19.
According to him, the suit is seeking 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.”
In addition, El-Rufai is asking the court to determine that the search breached his fundamental rights and to prevent authorities from relying on any items recovered during the exercise in future legal proceedings against him.
Detention Timeline
Outlining the sequence of events, Adekeye said officials of the ICPC carried out a search at El-Rufai’s residence on February 19, after which he was subjected to additional questioning on February 20.
He noted that a formal bail application was submitted following the interrogation but “has had no response, so far.”
Regarding his earlier custody by the EFCC from February 16 to 18, the aide said El-Rufai was granted administrative bail under certain conditions, including the requirement of a serving federal permanent secretary as surety, while his legal team sought a review of those terms.
Adekeye also cited concerns raised by El-Rufai’s lawyer, Ubong Akpan, who described the continued detention at that stage as “unlawful detention without justification.”
He further alleged that access to the former governor by both his lawyers and family members had been challenging, adding that “his lawyers have reported that he suffered an overnight episode of bleeding from his nose.”
The statement additionally claimed that on February 12, El-Rufai’s passport “was snatched at the airport, during a failed attempt to arrest him,” an action his legal team reportedly criticised as unlawful.
Adekeye said the ICPC subsequently issued a letter inviting him for questioning, and that his lawyers replied, indicating he would honour the invitation on February 18.
El-Rufai is currently involved in multiple legal matters involving security and anti-corruption agencies, including pending charges, ongoing investigations, and lawsuits he has initiated challenging aspects of his detention and the search conducted at his home.
What You Should Know
Nasir El-Rufai’s media aide says the ICPC has yet to respond to a bail application eight days after his detention.
The former governor faces scheduled court hearings over fundamental rights claims and pending charges, while also contesting the legality of a search conducted at his Abuja residence.
