Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai is yet to receive a response from the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) regarding his bail application, his media aide, Muyiwa Adekeye, confirmed on Monday.

El-Rufai voluntarily reported to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday, February 16, following an official invitation. He remained in EFCC custody until the night of Wednesday, February 18, when he was transferred to the ICPC.

According to Adekeye, El-Rufai’s lawyers have not been shown any remand order, despite the statutory 48-hour period for holding a person without charge having elapsed.

In a post on X, Adekeye noted that El-Rufai is scheduled for arraignment on February 25 over charges filed by the Department of State Services (DSS). On the same day, the Federal Capital Territory High Court will hear his fundamental rights case against the Federal Government, the ICPC, EFCC, and DSS, seeking an order for his release on bail.

Adekeye stated:

“Today marks eight days since Malam Nasir El-Rufai was detained…His lawyers have not received any response from the ICPC to their bail application, nor have they been shown a remand order.”

The detention follows a series of events after El-Rufai returned to Nigeria on February 12. His passport was seized at the airport during a failed arrest attempt, which his lawyers described as unlawful. He was later invited by the ICPC to report on February 13 and complied on February 16.

Between February 16 and 18, El-Rufai was held in EFCC custody despite being granted administrative bail with a federal permanent secretary as surety. On February 19, ICPC officials searched his Aso Drive residence—a move his lawyer, Ubong Akpan, condemned as unlawful.

El-Rufai subsequently filed a suit at the Federal High Court on February 23 challenging the search warrant’s validity, citing ambiguity, overbreadth, and lack of probable cause, and seeking to prevent the use of seized items in any proceedings against him.