Former Governor Nasir El-Rufai reportedly has been released this evening from the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission ICPC on compassionate grounds, following the passing of his beloved mother earlier on Friday.
Sources in the opposition All Democratic Congress ADC broke the news late Friday night.
He is facing charges of corrupt enrichment and mismanagement perpetrated during his tenure as Kaduna State Governor from 2015 to 2023.
The legal battles stem from events that began in February 2026, when he was initially detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over an alleged ₦423 billion misappropriation, before being re-arrested by the ICPC shortly after his release on administrative bail.
He was granted temporary bail from the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) Friday night, ostensibly to enable him attend the funeral rites of his late mother, Hajiya Umma El-Rufai.
The release.was approved on compassionate grounds following the death of his mother, who reportedly passed away in Cairo, Egypt, on Friday.
Also, his son, Bashir El-Rufai, announced the release in a post on X, expressing gratitude to supporters while criticising the circumstances surrounding his father’s detention.
El-Rufai has been in ICPC custody since February 18 and is currently facing multiple legal challenges across different courts.
On March 24, he was arraigned alongside a co-defendant at the Federal High Court in Kaduna on allegations bordering on financial misconduct, including the conversion and possession of public property, as well as money laundering. He pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The court had earlier adjourned ruling on his bail application to March 31, 2026.
Also, the Department of State Services (DSS) filed charges against him at the Federal High Court in Abuja over alleged unlawful interception of communications involving the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, in violation of the Cybercrimes Act.
His arraignment in that matter is scheduled for April 23, 2026.
El-Rufai has also instituted counter-suits against the authorities, seeking damages over what he described as unlawful actions, including a raid on his Abuja residence and the wire tapping allegations.
