El-Rufai Bled In Detention, Wife Prevented From Delivering His Meal – Media Aide

By Adesina Soyooye 

Muyiwa Adekeye, Media Aide to embattled former Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai has expressed fears over the state of health of his Principal.

El-Rufai has been in the  Government custody – Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC – for a combined period of eight days, and there is no hope, so far, of when he would be released because the Department of State Services, DSS, has filed charges in Court against him.

But on Monday, Adekeye raised an alarm over El-Rufai, and said he feared  for his Principal’s health.

His fears stem from two reasons. The first, according to him is that El-Rufai bled from the nose on Thursday in the custody of the ICPC. Even though he did not disclose what triggered the nose bleeding, if it has stopped, how it was handled, and if he was taken to a hospital, bleeding from the nose is a serious health scare.

Adekeye’s second worry is that the ICPC authorities, allegedly, prevented El-Rufai’s  wife from delivering his meal to him in detention.

Adekeye who disclosed these in a statement he issued on Monday  reminded Nigerians that El-Rufai has been in custody since he voluntarily reported to the EFCC on February 16, 2026, based on an invitation extended to him by the Commission.

Recall that  El-Rufai was granted administrative bail after his  interrogation by the EFCC.  But was quickly picked up by the ICPC where he has been in custody. 

Adekeye said El-Rufai’s continued stay in detention was unjustified.

He added that on the evening of February 17, one of El-Rufai’s wives was prevented from delivering his meal to him directly but was asked to hand it over to an EFCC official for onward delivery.

He, also disclosed that El-Rufai suffered an overnight episode of bleeding from his nose while in detention, an incident his lawyers have cited as part of their concerns over his health and access to family and legal counsel.

The statement pointed out that on the “night of February 18, El-Rufai was transferred from the EFCC to the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission without prior notice to him or his legal team.

“Since his transfer, El-Rufai’s lawyers have applied for bail from the ICPC but have yet to receive a response. no remand order has been shown to justify his continued detention beyond the constitutionally permitted period.”

El-Rufai is scheduled to appear in court on February 25 in a fundamental rights enforcement suit he filed against the Federal Government, the ICPC, the EFCC and the Department of State Services, seeking an order admitting him to bail.

Adekeye: “The alleged treatment of El-Rufai in detention raises serious concerns about his welfare and the observance of due process as legal proceedings commence.”