A Chief Magistrate Court in Bwari, Abuja, has granted the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) permission to detain former Kaduna State governor, Nasir el-Rufai, for an additional 14 days to enable the agency conclude its investigation into alleged money laundering and abuse of office.
Court documents seen by reporters show that the remand extension was granted on Thursday, with the former governor represented in court by his legal team. The order, which followed an earlier 14-day remand that el-Rufai unsuccessfully sought to quash, will run until March 19, 2026, giving investigators more time to interrogate allegations surrounding his stewardship of Kaduna State.
The ICPC had approached the Chief Magistrate Court in Bwari seeking a renewal of the detention warrant to “conclude investigation activities on allegations of money laundering and abuse of office” against the ex-governor. The magistrate, Okechukwu John Akweke, granted the application as prayed, directing the anti-graft agency to re-detain el-Rufai in its custody for another 14 days.
However, el-Rufai’s lawyers have returned to the same court to challenge the fresh order after failing in an earlier bid to set aside the initial remand. They insist the prolonged detention is unlawful and amounts to an abuse of process, arguing that the magistrate court exceeded its jurisdiction in granting the initial and subsequent remand requests.
Sources within the ICPC maintain that the commission is acting strictly within the law and only detaining the former governor on the strength of valid court orders. They also point to an “outstanding petition” against el-Rufai, saying equity demands that the commission fully hear from him and complete its investigations before taking further steps.
The legal tussle over his continued stay in custody is now set for a crucial test on March 17, when the magistrate is expected to rule on whether to uphold or vacate the renewed detention order. The outcome will shape the next phase of the high-profile probe, which has already sparked intense political and legal debate across the country.
