By Suleiman Anyalewechi
Detained former Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, has described claims linking him to some properties in Egypt as an ingenious ploy by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, to divert attention from his unlawful and malicious incarceration.
This is as he reiterated his demand for the ICPC to charge him to Court or put a stop to his illegal detention.
The Source reports that El-Rufai, a prominent figure within the opposition coalition platform, the African Democratic Congress, ADC, has been in the custody of the ICPC since February 18, 2026, after being granted bail by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
The immediate past Governor of Kaduna State is facing inter-agency investigations and prosecutions over multiple charges bordering on alleged money laundering, diversion of public funds, corrupt enrichment and security related issues.
A 14-day remand order granted to the ICPC by a Gwari Magistrate court to enable it conclude its investigations against El-Rufai, elapsed last Friday, with the anti-graft Commission still holding on to their guest.
El-Rufai’s reaction is coming against the backdrop of reports on the social media space claiming that the ICPC has uncovered several choice and multi-million dollar properties in Egypt allegedly linked to El-Rufai.
The discovered properties are said to be central and material to the investigation and prosecution of the ADC chieftain.
But in a statement on Monday, March, 9, 2026, signed by Ubong Esop Akpan, his lead counsel, El-Rufai accused the ICPC of deliberately engaging in a smear campaign primarily aimed at justifying his illegal detention without trial.
El-Rufai further described the reports of alleged Egypt properties being circulated in the media as not only unverified, misleading and mischievous, but also a deliberate falsehood targeted at diverting attention from the unconstitutional and unlawful activities of the Commission.
According to El-Rufai, having held him for over 20 days without a formal charge, the authorities of the ICPC are now shopping for some ingenious ways to cover their illegal activities.
The former Kaduna State Governor noted that the various reports which are heavily anchored on anonymous sources and unverified evidence are part of the grand smear and politically motivated rhetorics being carried out against him by the powers-that-be.
El-Rufai in the statement maintained that his continued detention without trial is a gross violation of his fundamental human rights as a Nigerian citizen, as well as an assault on the 1999 Constitution.
El-Rufai who questioned the validity and legality of the 14-day remand order, however expressed profound disappointment that the ICPC still holds him in custody after the expiry of the remand order on March 4, 2026.
According to El-Rufai ,the tendency to resort to ” media leaks, instead of a formal judicial proceeding, underscores the fact that the Commission does not have any case against him.
The statement disclosed that a formal criminal complaint proceedings have been initiated against the ICPC chairman ,the Director -General DG of the DSS, and others involved in the unlawful detention of El-Rufai.
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