A legal representative of former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has criticised the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) over allegations linking the former governor to expensive properties in Egypt, describing the claims as unsubstantiated and politically driven.
In a statement released in Abuja on Monday, the lawyer, Ubong Esop Akpan, argued that the accusations circulating in the media were based on anonymous leaks and lacked credible supporting evidence. According to him, the allegations appear to be part of an attempt to justify what he described as the unlawful detention of the former governor.
Akpan maintained that the narrative surrounding the alleged multi-billion-naira properties in Egypt was fabricated and relied on unnamed sources rather than verifiable investigative findings. He said the claims were being pushed publicly instead of being pursued through proper legal channels.
The lawyer also accused the anti-graft agency of abandoning due process and engaging in actions that he said amount to a smear campaign against his client. He alleged that the agency had moved away from its core mandate of combating corruption and was instead participating in what he called a politically motivated attempt to persecute the former governor.
The development comes amid growing controversy surrounding El-Rufai’s detention. According to Akpan, the former governor had initially honoured an invitation from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on February 16 and was granted administrative bail after meeting with investigators.
However, he claimed that two days later, on February 18, El-Rufai was taken into custody by operatives allegedly acting under the authority of the Department of State Services (DSS). The lawyer said the former governor has remained in detention since then without being formally arraigned before a court.
Akpan argued that the continued detention violates Section 35 of the Nigerian Constitution, which guarantees the right to personal liberty and requires that any individual arrested must be brought before a competent court within a reasonable timeframe.
He further questioned the validity of a remand order reportedly issued on February 19, claiming that the order expired on March 4 and that the defence team was never officially served with the document.
The legal team also alleged that officials of the ICPC, including its chairman, Musa Adamu Aliyu, attempted to pressure El-Rufai into withdrawing from political activities as a condition for his release.
Akpan said the reliance on anonymous media reports instead of formal judicial proceedings raised serious concerns about the conduct of the investigation. He added that the defence had initiated criminal complaint proceedings against the ICPC chairman, the Director-General of the DSS and other officials allegedly involved in the matter.
According to the lawyer, the action seeks to hold those responsible personally accountable for what he described as violations of the law and abuse of power.
He insisted that the ICPC cannot simultaneously act as investigator, accuser and jailer by detaining a citizen indefinitely without due process. The legal team therefore called for the immediate release of El-Rufai or his prompt arraignment before a court of competent jurisdiction.
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