ICPC takes El-Rufai into custody after release by EFCC

Former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has been taken into custody by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

‎El-Rufai was moved to the ICPC headquarter in Abuja after spending 48 hours at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), where he had earlier been granted bail.

‎There were initial reports that he had been arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS), which also filed criminal charges against him. However, the ICPC later clarified that the former governor is in its custody.

‎In a statement issued on Wednesday night, ICPC spokesperson J. Okor Odey confirmed the development.

‎“The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) writes to state that Malam Nasiru El-Rufai, the former Governor of Kaduna state is in our custody as at close of work today Wednesday the 18th day of February, 2026. Malam Nasiru El-Rufai is in the custody of the Commission in connection with investigations,” the statement read.

‎The commission did not disclose details of the investigation.

‎The DSS had earlier filed a three-count charge against El-Rufai at the Federal High Court in Abuja, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/99/2026.

‎The charges followed comments he made during an interview on ARISE Television.

‎During the programme, El-Rufai alleged that the ICPC, acting on the orders of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, had directed the DSS to arrest him. When asked how he got the information, El-Rufai said someone had tapped Ribadu’s phone and that he heard what the NSA said.

‎Based on that claim, the DSS accused him of unlawfully intercepting the phone communications of the National Security Adviser, an offence it said violates the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024, and the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003.

‎In one of the counts, prosecutors alleged that El-Rufai admitted during the interview that he and others “unlawfully intercepted the phone communications” of Ribadu.

‎Another count claimed he acknowledged knowing someone who carried out the interception but failed to report the individual to security agencies.

‎The charges also accused him and others still at large of using technical equipment to intercept communications in a manner that compromised public safety and national security.

‎El-Rufai, who served as governor of Kaduna State from 2015 to 2023, has also faced separate allegations of financial misconduct.

‎In 2024, the Kaduna State House of Assembly indicted him over the alleged diversion of N423 billion and money laundering, and asked anti-graft agencies to investigate him.

‎He denied the allegations and later sued the Assembly, accusing it of attempting to damage his reputation.

‎

‎