The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has given Nasir El-Rufai, the former governor of Kaduna State, temporary release.
The change is so that he can go to the funeral of his mother, Hajiya Umma El-Rufai, who is said to have died in Cairo, Egypt, yesterday.
Channels TV said that an advisor to the previous governor acknowledged that the release was authorized on compassionate grounds after the family lost a loved one.
In response to the news, his son Bashir El-Rufai posted on his X (previously Twitter) account that his father had been released from jail.
He added, “My beloved great legend of a father (@elrufai) is being released from his unlawful and illegal detention by one of the most corrupt agencies in the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which is a lame excuse for a pathetic institution.” Thank you all for your help. These times will always be in our family’s memory. As the El-Rufais, we have gotten through.
The ICPC has not yet made an official statement about the terms of his temporary release or the next steps in its inquiry as of this time.
The ex-Governor of Kaduna State is currently involved in a number of high-profile legal disputes in Nigeria. These cases involve claims of financial wrongdoing, money laundering, and breaches of national security.
El-Rufai has been in the ICPC’s care since February 18.
On March 24, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) formally charged El-Rufai and co-defendant Joel Adoga in the Federal High Court in Kaduna.
The charges include money laundering, taking and using public property, and converting public property.
He said he wasn’t guilty of a single offense related to putting money into home accounts and managing earnings.
The court put off making a decision on his bail request until March 31, 2026, when he will still be in jail.
The ICPC has also launched a case against El-Rufai and another defendant, Amadu Sule, in the Kaduna State High Court.
The Department of State Services (DSS) has also filed three charges against the former governor in the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The lawsuit is about claims that the Cybercrimes Act was broken by illegally intercepting phone calls belonging to the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
His arraignment in the case has been set for April 23, 2026, after being delayed since the ICPC held him.
El-Rufai has, however, filed counter-suits against the acts of the authorities.
He is suing the ICPC and other agencies for ₦1 billion in damages for a raid on his home in Abuja on February 19 that he says was illegal.
He also wants the court to say that the search warrant is not legal and to stop the use of any evidence found during the operation.
He is suing the DSS for ₦2 billion in damages in a different case and has asked the court to throw out the wiretapping charges, calling them unconstitutional harassment.
The legal fights started on February 16, 2026, when the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) first arrested El-Rufai for allegedly stealing ₦423 billion.
On February 18, he was given administrative bail, but the ICPC quickly detained him again.
His arraignment in Kaduna on March 24 was a big step forward in the cases that were still going on, but reporters were not allowed in the courtroom during the hearings.
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