El-Rufai’s lawyer demands immediate release of former Kaduna governor

Barr. Ubong Esop Akpan, counsel to Mallam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, former governor of Kaduna state, has accused the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) of pursuing a political vendetta against his client.

In a statement issued on Sunday, Akpan said allegations linking El-Rufai to multi-billion naira properties in Egypt were fabricated and circulated through anonymous leaks.

He said the claims were designed to justify what he described as the unlawful detention of the former governor.

Part of the statement read: “The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has once again exposed its descent into a tool of political vendetta through the dissemination of baseless, anonymous ‘leaks’ alleging multi-billion naira properties in Egypt linked to my client, Mallam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai.

“This fabricated narrative, devoid of verifiable evidence and reliant on shadowy ‘sources,’ is not an investigation but a desperate smear campaign designed to justify the ongoing unlawful detention of a citizen who has committed no crime.”

Akpan alleged that El-Rufai has been in custody since February 18 after he was transferred from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to the ICPC.

He said El-Rufai had voluntarily reported to the EFCC on February 16 and was granted administrative bail before being taken into ICPC custody.

“This detention, now exceeding 20 days, contravenes Section 35 of the 1999 Constitution, which mandates arraignment within a reasonable time.

“The purported 14-day remand order, issued on 19 February 2026 by a magistrate court lacking jurisdiction over the alleged offences, expired on 4 March 2026 and was never served on my client or his counsel, rendering it void ab initio and the continued confinement patently illegal.

“Operatives, acting on the authority of ICPC Chairman Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, have failed in their attempts to coerce my client to abandon his constitutional rights to political participation, threatening prolonged detention unless he complies. This is not law enforcement; it is state-sponsored extortion and abuse of power,” he stated.

The lawyer said El-Rufai has repeatedly challenged the anti-corruption agency to charge him in court if there is evidence against him.

“Mallam El-Rufai has consistently challenged the ICPC to charge him in court if any evidence exists, a demand he has made publicly and in writing since 16 February 2026,” he noted.

Akpan said the legal team has initiated criminal complaint proceedings against officials involved in the matter.

“We have initiated criminal complaint proceedings against the Chairman, the DSS Director General, and other implicated officers, seeking their personal accountability for these crimes.

“We demand the immediate release of Mallam El-Rufai or his arraignment before a court of competent jurisdiction. Anything less is a mortal blow to Nigeria’s democracy and the rule of law,” he added.