Isaac Samuel
Former Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, has been released from the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), hours after the death of his mother, Hajiya Umma El-Rufai.
His son, Bashir El-Rufai, disclosed the development in a post on his X (formerly Twitter) handle on Friday, confirming that the former governor had regained his freedom after weeks in detention.
He wrote, “My beloved great legend of a father (@elrufai) is being released from his unlawful and illegal detention at the hands of one of the most corrupt agencies in the Federal Republic of Nigeria, that is a lame excuse of a pathetic institution.
“Thank you all for all the support. Our family shall never forget these times. We have overcome, as the El-Rufais.”
El-Rufai had been in ICPC custody since February 18 over allegations bordering on financial misconduct and related offences.
Earlier in the week, he was arraigned before the Federal High Court in Kaduna alongside one Joel Adoga on charges of alleged conversion and possession of public property, as well as money laundering.
He, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The court subsequently adjourned ruling on his bail application to March 31, 2026.
In a separate case, the ICPC also filed charges against El-Rufai and another defendant, Amadu Sule, at the Kaduna State High Court.
Additionally, the Department of State Services (DSS) has instituted a three-count charge against the former governor at the Federal High Court in Abuja over alleged unlawful interception of phone communications belonging to the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, contrary to the Cybercrimes Act.
Meanwhile, news of his release came shortly after the announcement of the death of his mother, Hajiya Umma El-Rufai.
Her passing was made public by his son, Hon. Bello El-Rufai, who, in a social media post, expressed gratitude for her life and prayed for her soul.
“Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un. From Allah we came and to Him we shall return. We are grateful for the life she lived. May Allah bless her gentle soul,” he wrote.
The ICPC has yet to issue an official statement on the circumstances surrounding El-Rufai’s release as of the time of filing this report.
