ICPC Insists El-Rufai Held By Court Order, Not Politics
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has dismissed claims that it is acting on political instructions in the detention and prosecution of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, hours after his supporters announced they had hired a Washington-based advocacy firm to take his case before the United States government.
Reacting to the development on Wednesday, ICPC spokesman John Odey said the commission was unmoved by the campaign. “We operate within the confines of the law and will continue to carry out our functions within the confines of the law. We are not detaining him on our own. We are following lawful orders,” he said, adding that El-Rufai remained in custody by court remand. “The ICPC is an anti-corruption law enforcement agency. We do not politicise our issues, nor do we prosecute on the basis of political affiliations,” Odey stated.
The commission’s response followed a statement by the El-Rufai Support Group Association announcing the engagement of Vanguard Africa, a Washington DC-based advocacy organisation, to highlight what it called the erosion of the rule of law in Nigeria. According to the association, a regulatory filing published by the US Department of State indicated that Vanguard Africa would plan and execute outreach to US Administration officials, Congress, relevant bureaus and agencies, pro-democracy institutions, and multilateral stakeholders.
ERSGA’s Director of Strategic Partnerships, Mohammed Salihu, framed the case as bigger than one man. “We are bringing these concerns to Washington because the international community has both the standing and the responsibility to speak plainly when due process is weaponised for political ends,” he said. The group insists El-Rufai is innocent and points to what it describes as procedural irregularities and repeated delays in bail hearings.
The internationalisation of the matter has roots stretching back more than a year. El-Rufai has been in ICPC custody since February 19, 2026, following allegations bordering on fraud, abuse of office, and financial misconduct during his tenure as Kaduna State governor between 2015 and 2023.
The case traces to 2024, when the Kaduna State House of Assembly indicted him over the alleged diversion of N423 billion in public funds and recommended investigation by anti-corruption agencies.
His arrest unfolded dramatically. He was first detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on February 16, 2026, granted bail on February 18, and later re-arrested. The ICPC subsequently filed charges. On March 18, 2026, it accused him of unlawfully taking possession of about N579 million in severance allowances, far above the roughly N20 million he was legally entitled to, alongside dollar transactions said to breach the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
He was arraigned before the Kaduna State High Court on an amended nine-count charge on April 13, 2026, and faces a separate 10-count charge before the Federal High Court in Kaduna.
A parallel case persists. The former governor is also being prosecuted by the Department of State Services over the alleged wiretapping of communications of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, stemming from comments he made during a February 13 Arise Television interview.
The timing is politically charged. The association said it viewed the case as a test of the impartiality of Nigeria’s institutions, particularly as the country prepares for the 2027 general elections, warning that legal mechanisms used to sideline opposition figures could undermine credible competition.
Vanguard Africa has previously advocated for figures including Gambian President Adama Barrow, Niger’s ousted President Mohamed Bazoum and Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine.
El-Rufai, now aligned with the opposition African Democratic Congress, denies all allegations.