Ubong Esop Akpan, Counsel to former governor of Kaduna State Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, has accused the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) of unlawfully detaining his client while pursuing what he described as a politically motivated smear campaign.
In a statement issued in Abuja on March 9, 2026, Akpan alleged that the anti-graft agency had resorted to spreading unverified claims linking El-Rufai to multi-billion naira properties in Egypt in a bid to justify what he called an illegal detention.
“The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has once again exposed its descent into a tool of political vendetta through the dissemination of baseless, anonymous ‘leaks’ alleging multi-billion naira properties in Egypt linked to my client, Mallam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai,” Akpan said.
He argued that the allegations lacked credible evidence and were being circulated to sustain a narrative against the former governor.
“This fabricated narrative, devoid of verifiable evidence and reliant on shadowy ‘sources,’ is not an investigation but a desperate smear campaign designed to justify the ongoing unlawful detention of a citizen who has committed no crime,” he said.
According to the lawyer, the development highlights what he described as a disturbing shift in the operations of the anti-corruption body.
“It exemplifies the ICPC’s transformation from an anti-corruption agency into a criminal enterprise, perpetrating prosecutorial misconduct, hostage-taking, and violations of fundamental rights in pursuit of a failed agenda of political persecution,” he stated.
Akpan also recounted the circumstances surrounding his client’s detention, claiming that El-Rufai was transferred from the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to the ICPC following the intervention of operatives from the Department of State Services.
“Since the night of 18 February 2026, when operatives under the direction of the Director General of the Department of State Services unlawfully rendered Mallam El-Rufai from Economic and Financial Crimes Commission custody—where he had voluntarily reported on 16 February 2026 and been granted administrative bail—the ICPC has held him hostage without charge,” Akpan said.
He maintained that the detention, which he said had exceeded 20 days, violates the provisions of the 1999 Constitution guaranteeing the right to be arraigned within a reasonable time.
“This detention, now exceeding 20 days, contravenes Section 35 of the 1999 Constitution, which mandates arraignment within a reasonable time,” he said.
Akpan further alleged that a 14-day remand order said to have been issued by a magistrate court on February 19 had expired and was never served on El-Rufai or his legal team.
“The purported 14-day remand order, issued on 19 February 2026 by a magistrate court lacking jurisdiction over the alleged offences, expired on 4 March 2026 and was never served on my client or his counsel, rendering it void ab initio and the continued confinement patently illegal,” he said.
The lawyer also accused operatives of the ICPC of attempting to pressure his client into abandoning his political rights, alleging threats of prolonged detention.
“Operatives, acting on the authority of ICPC Chairman Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, have failed in their attempts to coerce my client to abandon his constitutional rights to political participation, threatening prolonged detention unless he complies,” Akpan said.
“This is not law enforcement; it is state-sponsored extortion and abuse of power,” he added.
He also cited the detention of one of El-Rufai’s associates, Joel Adoga, claiming that his bail was revoked after he refused to fabricate statements against the former governor.
Akpan said El-Rufai had repeatedly challenged the ICPC to formally charge him in court if any evidence existed against him.
“Mallam El-Rufai has consistently challenged the ICPC to charge him in court if any evidence exists, a demand he has made publicly and in writing since 16 February 2026,” he said.
“Their resounding silence, coupled with these malicious leaks, confirms the absence of any substantive case and reveals a politically motivated witch-hunt,” he added.
The lawyer disclosed that legal proceedings had already been initiated against officials involved in the matter.
“We have initiated criminal complaint proceedings against the Chairman, the DSS Director General, and other implicated officers, seeking their personal accountability for these crimes,” Akpan said.
He concluded by demanding either the immediate release of the former governor or his arraignment before a competent court.
“We demand the immediate release of Mallam El-Rufai or his arraignment before a court of competent jurisdiction. Anything less is a mortal blow to Nigeria’s democracy and the rule of law,” he said.
