A Magistrate court in Abuja will, on Tuesday, March 17, decide whether to grant the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC an additional 14 days to detain former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai, who has been in custody since February 18 over allegations of money laundering and unlawful interception of communications involving the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
The presiding magistrate, Okechukwu Akweke, last week fixed the date to enable the court to determine whether to grant or dismiss the application.
El-Rufai has been in ICPC custody since February 18, 2026, over allegations of money laundering and the illegal interception of the communications of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
The anti-graft agency reportedly obtained a 14-day remand order from a Magistrate Court in Bwari, Abuja, on February 19, 2026. The order expired on March 5, 2026.
Following the expiration of the remand order, El-Rufai’s lawyers, family members and supporters criticised his continued detention, describing it as unlawful.
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They argued that since the legal basis for holding him had expired and no fresh order had been obtained, the commission should either release him or formally charge him before a competent court.
El-Rufai had filed a fundamental rights enforcement suit before the FCT High Court, challenging what he described as his prolonged and unlawful detention.
Joined in the suit are the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, the Department of State Services, DSS, the ICPC; and the Attorney-General of the Federation.
However, the ICPC has denied violating El-Rufai’s fundamental rights, maintaining that it obtained a valid 14-day remand order to hold the former governor, which it argued is renewable pending the conclusion of its investigation.
The ICPC’s request follows the expiration of the initial 14-day remand order obtained on February 19, which lapsed on March 5. El-Rufai’s legal team and family members have argued that holding him beyond the initial period without a fresh court order amounts to an unlawful detention, prompting the former governor to file a fundamental rights enforcement suit at the FCT High Court.
In his suit, El-Rufai is seeking relief against what he describes as the prolonged and arbitrary detention by the ICPC, with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Department of State Services, the ICPC itself, and the Attorney-General of the Federation named as respondents. His lawyers contend that the absence of formal charges violates his constitutional rights and undermines due process.
Meanwhile, the ICPC maintains that its actions are lawful, stating that it secured a valid remand order and has the authority to seek extensions pending the conclusion of its ongoing investigations. The commission insists that it is committed to following proper legal procedures and that any extension granted by the court would be in accordance with the law.
Daily Trust
