Beleaguered former Governor Nasir El-Rufai was arrested by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission on Wednesday night, minutes after his release from the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in Abuja.
Mr El-Rufai was arrested by the ICPC outside the EFCC headquarters at about 10:00 p.m. and driven to the ICPC headquarters.
Confirming the development in a statement Wednesday night, ICPC spokesperson Okor Odey said, “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 at 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.”
Though Mr Okor did not explicitly state what the investigation was about, it may not be unconnected with the former governor’s alleged involvement in money laundering.
Mr El-Rufai had spent two nights in the EFCC’s custody since he appeared before the commission for questioning on Monday and was grilled by operatives. He is being probed by the anti-graft agency over N432 billion money laundering based on a petition by the Kaduna State House of Assembly.
In March 2024, Governor Uba Sani said his administration inherited a debt of $587 million, N85 billion, and 115 contractual liabilities from Mr El-Rufai’s administration.
The governor said the huge debt burden was eating deep into Kaduna’s share of the monthly federation allocation.
An ad hoc committee set up by the Kaduna assembly had in 2024 recommended the probe of Mr El-Rufai. The lawmakers had accused him of diverting public funds to the tune of N432 billion.
Henry Zacharia, chairman of the committee, who presented the report during plenary in May 2024, said most of the loans obtained by El-Rufai’s administration were used for other purposes.
Mr Zacharia said most of the loans obtained and projects implemented did not follow “due process”.
