Former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has been granted temporary bail from the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
The development is to enable him to attend the funeral rites of his mother, Hajiya Umma El-Rufai, who reportedly died in Cairo, Egypt, on Friday.
An aide to the former governor confirmed that the release was approved on compassionate grounds following the family’s bereavement.
Reacting to the development, his son, Bashir El-Rufai, disclosed in a post on his X (formerly Twitter) handle that his father had been released from detention.
He wrote: “My beloved great legend of a father (@elrufai) is being released from his unlawful and illegal detention at the hands of one of the most corrupt agencies in the Federal Republic of Nigeria, that is a lame excuse of a pathetic institution. Thank you all for all the support. Our family shall never forget these times. We have overcome, as the El-Rufais.”
Alhamdulillah.
My beloved great legend of a father (@elrufai) is being released from his unlawful & illegal detention at the hands of one of the most corrupt agencies in the Federal Republic of Nigeria that is a lame excuse of a pathetic institution.
Thank you all for all the…
— Bashir El-Rufai (@BashirElRufai) March 27, 20
As of this report, the ICPC has yet to issue an official statement regarding the terms of his temporary release or the next steps in its investigation.
The former Kaduna State Governor is facing a series of high-profile legal battles involving allegations of financial misconduct, money laundering, and national security breaches across multiple courts in Nigeria.
El-Rufai has been in ICPC custody since February 18.
On March 24, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) formally arraigned El-Rufai alongside co-defendant Joel Adoga at the Federal High Court in Kaduna.
The charges include alleged conversion and possession of public property, as well as money laundering.
He pleaded not guilty to a single-count charge linked to deposits into domiciliary accounts and the handling of earnings.
The court adjourned ruling on his bail application to March 31, 2026, while he remains in custody.
In a separate matter, the ICPC has also filed a case at the Kaduna State High Court against El-Rufai and another defendant, Amadu Sule.
Meanwhile, the Department of State Services (DSS) has instituted a three-count charge against the former governor at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The case centres on allegations of unlawful interception of phone communications belonging to the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, in violation of the Cybercrimes Act.
His arraignment in the matter has been scheduled for April 23, 2026, following earlier delays due to his detention by the ICPC.
El-Rufai has, however, filed counter-suits challenging the actions of the authorities.
In one suit, he is seeking ₦1 billion in damages against the ICPC and other agencies over a February 19 raid on his Abuja residence, which he claims was unlawful.
He is also asking the court to declare the search warrant invalid and to restrain the use of any evidence obtained during the operation.
In a separate action against the DSS, he is seeking ₦2 billion in damages and has asked the court to dismiss the wiretapping charges, describing them as unconstitutional harassment.
The legal battles follow a series of events that began on February 16, 2026, when El-Rufai was initially detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over an alleged ₦423 billion misappropriation.
He was granted administrative bail on February 18 but was immediately re-arrested by the ICPC.
His arraignment on March 24 in Kaduna marked a major development in the unfolding cases, although journalists were barred from the courtroom during proceedings.
