By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa
A magistrate court in Abuja will rule on Tuesday, March 17, on an application by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) seeking to extend the detention of former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, by an additional 14 days.
Presiding Magistrate Okechukwu Akweke adjourned the ruling last week to allow the court to deliberate on whether to grant the commission’s request.
El-Rufai, who governed Kaduna State from 2015 to 2023, has been in ICPC custody since February 18, 2026. He is being investigated over allegations of money laundering and the unlawful interception of communications belonging to the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
The anti-graft agency had initially secured a 14-day remand order from a Magistrate Court in Bwari, Abuja, on February 19, 2026. That order expired on March 5.
Following the expiration, El-Rufai’s legal team, family members, and supporters condemned his continued detention, arguing that it had become unlawful. They contended that with the original remand order no longer valid and no new court order obtained, the ICPC must either release the former governor or file formal charges before a competent court.
In response to the prolonged detention, El-Rufai has filed a fundamental rights enforcement suit before the Federal High Court in Abuja. The suit names the ICPC, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Attorney-General of the Federation as respondents.
The ICPC, however, has denied any violation of El-Rufai’s rights. The commission maintains that it lawfully obtained the initial 14-day remand order and argues that such orders are renewable as investigations progress. It insists that its detention of the former governor is legal and necessary to conclude its inquiry.
