A magistrate court in Abuja is scheduled to rule on Tuesday, March 17, regarding a new request from the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission seeking an additional 14 days to detain former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai.
Presiding magistrate Okechukwu Akweke had last week fixed the date to allow the court to decide whether to approve or reject the application.
El-Rufai has been in ICPC custody since February 18, 2026, over allegations involving money laundering and the unlawful interception of communications belonging to the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
The anti-graft agency reportedly secured a 14-day remand order from a Magistrate Court in Bwari, Abuja, on February 19, 2026, which expired on March 5, 2026.
Following the expiration of the remand order, El-Rufai’s legal team, family members, and supporters criticised the continued detention, describing it as unlawful. They argued that with no fresh order obtained, the ICPC should either release him or formally charge him before a competent court.
El-Rufai has also filed a fundamental rights enforcement suit at the FCT High Court, challenging what he describes as his prolonged and unlawful detention. The suit names the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Department of State Services (DSS), the ICPC, and the Attorney-General of the Federation as respondents.
However, the ICPC maintains that it has not violated El-Rufai’s rights, insisting that it obtained a valid 14-day remand order which is renewable while its investigation continues.
