Former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has been granted temporary bail from the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
The release, according to sources close to the family, was approved on compassionate grounds to allow him attend the funeral of his mother, Hajiya Umma El-Rufai, who reportedly passed away in Cairo, Egypt.
An aide to the former governor confirmed the development, noting that the decision followed the family’s bereavement.
Reacting publicly, his son, Bashir El-Rufai, announced the release in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“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.
”Thank you all for all the support. Our family shall never forget these times. We have overcome, as the El-Rufais,” he wrote.
As of the time of reporting, the ICPC had not issued an official statement detailing the terms of the temporary release or the next phase of its investigation.
El-Rufai has been in ICPC custody since February 18, facing multiple allegations including financial misconduct, money laundering, and related offences across several courts in the country.
On March 24, the ICPC arraigned him alongside co-defendant Joel Adoga at the Federal High Court in Kaduna on charges bordering on the alleged conversion and possession of public property.
He pleaded not guilty to a single-count charge involving deposits into domiciliary accounts and the handling of earnings.
The court subsequently adjourned ruling on his bail application to March 31, 2026, while he remained in custody.
In a separate case before the Kaduna State High Court, the commission filed additional charges against El-Rufai and another defendant, Amadu Sule.
Meanwhile, the Department of State Services (DSS) has also brought a three-count charge against the former governor at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The case centres on allegations of unlawful interception of communications belonging to National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, in violation of the Cybercrimes Act.
His arraignment in that matter has been scheduled for April 23, 2026, following earlier delays linked to his detention.
El-Rufai has, however, initiated legal action challenging the moves by authorities. In one suit, he is seeking N1 billion in damages against the ICPC and other agencies over a February 19 raid on his Abuja residence, which he described as unlawful.
He is also asking the court to invalidate the search warrant and prevent the use of any evidence obtained during the operation.
In another suit against the DSS, he is demanding N2 billion in damages and seeking the dismissal of the wiretapping charges, which he described as unconstitutional harassment.
The legal battle stems from earlier developments in February 2026, when El-Rufai was first detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over an alleged N423 billion misappropriation.
Although he was granted administrative bail on February 18, he was immediately re-arrested by the ICPC, leading to his continued detention until the latest development.
His arraignment in Kaduna marked a significant step in the ongoing cases, though journalists were barred from the courtroom during proceedings.
