ICPC secures fresh 14-day detention order for El-Rufai 

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has obtained a fresh court order to continue detaining Nasir el-Rufai, former Governor of Kaduna State  for another 14 days as investigations into allegations of money laundering and abuse of office deepen.

The order was granted on Wednesday by a Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Bwari, Federal Capital Territory, to allow the anti-corruption agency more time to conclude its investigation, which was said to have expanded beyond the initial allegations.

The latest remand order, granted in the presence of el-Rufai’s legal representative, will expire on March 19, 2026.

However, the former governor has returned to the same court in a renewed legal effort to challenge the detention order, even as the court prepares to determine the legality of the extension.

Ukpong Akpan, El-Rufai’s counsel,  had earlier attempted to quash the first remand order granted against the former governor.

That application was dismissed by the same court.

However, the legal team has filed a fresh motion seeking to nullify the second remand order.

Okechukwu Akweke, Chief Magistrate has fixed March 17, 2026, to decide whether the new detention order should be set aside.

Court records obtained from the Bwari Chief Magistrate Court indicate that the extension of el-Rufai’s detention was formally granted following an application by Osuobeni  Akponimisingha, ICPC’s prosecuting counsel.

The court ruling stated that the prosecution requested an order authorising the commission to continue holding the former governor while investigations into the allegations were completed.

“An order of this Honourable Court issuing a remand warrant against the Respondent (Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai) in favour of the Applicant, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), to detain the Respondent in its custody for another fourteen (14) days pending conclusion of investigation activities on allegations of money laundering and abuse of office.

“It is hereby ordered that the application is granted as prayed,” the order read.

The magistrate further directed that el-Rufai be re-detained for an additional 14 days while the ICPC completes its investigation, adding that the commission must return to court on March 19 to report compliance.

The anti-corruption agency had insisted that the detention of the former governor followed due legal process and was backed by valid court orders.

It rejected claims circulating in some sections of the media that the ICPC was unlawfully detaining el-Rufai.

“With a Senior Advocate of Nigeria as the Commission’s chairman, we cannot detain El-Rufai or any suspect without a valid court order,” ICPC said.

According to the agency, el-Rufai’s lawyers have been present during the legal proceedings related to the remand orders.

“El-Rufai’s legal team has been part of all our legal processes, but the narrative out there is that the ICPC is oppressing him.

“The first remand order was challenged by his lawyer and the case was dismissed. The second remand order is now before the court, which will rule on March 17. Instead of explaining what actually happened in court, some narratives being circulated are inaccurate”, the Commission said.

Meanwhile, el-Rufai has continued to challenge the legality of the proceedings.

Through his counsel, the former governor argued that the Chief Magistrate Court exceeded its jurisdiction by granting the remand order.

In a fresh application before the court, the defence team described the detention order as a “jurisdictional overreach” and urged the magistrate to set it aside.

The motion was filed pursuant to several provisions of Nigerian law, including Sections 293, 294, 295, 296, 298, 299 and 100 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, as well as Section 6(6)(b) of the 1999 Constitution and Order 26 Rules 1–3 of the Magistrates’ Courts Rules of the Federal Capital Territory.

A 20-paragraph affidavit supporting the application was deposed to by Mohammed Salihu Shaba on behalf of the former governor.

In the affidavit, it  stated that he had the consent and authority of el-Rufai to depose to the document.

“That the remand order dated 19th February 2026 made by this Honourable Court… is fundamentally defective and ought to be set aside for nullity,” the affidavit stated.