The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) says it has arrested Nasir el-Rufai, former governor of Kaduna State.
The arrest comes moments after El-Rufai was released on bail by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday.
According to J. Okor Odey, ICPC’s head of media and public communications, el-Rufai was detained on Wednesday night in connection with ongoing investigations.
Okor, in a brief statement, refrained from revealing the specifics of the investigations that led to the former governor’s detention.
“The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) writes to state that Malam Nasiru El-Rufai, the former Governor of Kaduna State, is in our custody as of the close of work today, Wednesday, the 18th day of February, 2026. Malam Nasiru El-Rufai is in the custody of the Commission in connection with investigations,” the statement reads.
In 2024, the Kaduna Assembly accused El-Rufai of diverting N423 billion in public funds and engaging in money laundering, calling for an investigation by anti-graft agencies.
The former Kaduna governor was initially detained by the EFCC on Monday over allegations of corruption.
He was granted administrative bail at about 8 p.m. on Wednesday but was immediately taken into custody by operatives of the ICPC stationed at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja, according to witnesses.
The former Kaduna governor has also been invited by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
Last Thursday, security operatives attempted to arrest El-Rufai at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja as he arrived from Cairo, Egypt.
El-Rufai would later claim that the ICPC, acting on the instructions of Nuhu Ribadu, the national security adviser, directed officials from the Department of State Services (DSS) to detain him upon his arrival.
On Monday, the DSS filed a separate cybercrime charges against Mr El-Rufai at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/99/2026, followed remarks he made during a live interview on Arise Television on Friday, in which he alleged that the phone of Ribadu, was tapped.
Mr El-Rufai claimed he overheard the NSA directing security operatives to detain him, linking the alleged directive to an attempted arrest at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport last Thursday after returning from Cairo, Egypt.
Following the interview, DSS prosecutors charged El-Rufai with unlawful interception of communications and related offences.
The prosecution alleged that he admitted intercepting the NSA’s communications, failed to report unlawful interceptions by others, and acted in a manner that compromised public safety and national security.
