“No Exit Strategy”—ICPC Confirm Nasir El-Rufai in Custody Following 48-Hour EFCC Grilling

ABUJA — In a dramatic scene that many have described as a “legislative and legal ambush,” the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has officially confirmed that former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, is now in its custody.

The confirmation came in a late-night statement issued at 12:04 AM on Thursday, February 19, 2026, signed by the Commission’s Head of Media, Mr. J. Okor Odey. The development marks a calculated “handover” of the former governor, who had only just completed a grueling 48-hour interrogation at the EFCC headquarters in Jabi.

The “Gate-Side” Interception

While El-Rufai’s legal team reportedly met his administrative bail conditions at the EFCC late Wednesday, any hope of a walk to freedom was short-lived. Operatives of the ICPC were reportedly waiting at the exit to take him into fresh custody.

“The Commission wishes to state that Malam Nasiru El-Rufai is in our custody as at the close of work today, Wednesday, the 18th day of February, 2026,” the ICPC statement read. “He is in the custody of the Commission in connection with ongoing investigations.”

Though the ICPC remained tight-lipped on the specific charges, insiders suggest the probe is a “deep dive” into the N423 billion financial mismanagement report recently submitted by the Kaduna State House of Assembly. The focus has reportedly shifted to the procurement of massive foreign loans and urban development contracts awarded during his eight-year tenure.

“This is Not Justice, It’s a Kidnap”—Nigerians Blast the Move

The sight of a high-profile politician being “passed around like a baton” between federal agencies has triggered a wave of visceral anger and biting criticism across the country. For many, the “double-teaming” of the EFCC, ICPC, and the lingering threat of the DSS is a clear sign of political vendetta.

• “The Defector’s Price”: “The timing is too convenient to be a coincidence,” remarked Ibrahim Suleiman, a political analyst in Abuja. “The moment El-Rufai joined the opposition ADC, his ‘crimes’ from a decade ago became a national emergency. This isn’t anti-corruption; it’s a warning to anyone thinking of leaving the APC: ‘If you leave, we will crush you.'”
• “Selective Efficiency”: Critics on social media have blasted the government’s “commando-style” energy. “The SSS and ICPC are very efficient when the suspect is a political rival, but they are ‘ghosts’ when terrorists occupy 26 outstations in Benue,” one viral post on X (formerly Twitter) read. “They have fuel for El-Rufai’s convoy but no fuel to chase bandits.”
• “A Mockery of Bail”: Legal practitioners have expressed disgust at the “ping-pong” tactics. “When one agency grants bail, and another is waiting at the gate to ‘re-kidnap’ the suspect, you have murdered the rule of law. It’s executive lawlessness at its finest,” a Lagos-based lawyer stated.

The Three-Front War

The ICPC’s intervention adds a new, suffocating layer to El-Rufai’s legal woes. He is now effectively fighting a three-front war for his political and personal survival:

1. The EFCC Front: Allegations of multi-billion naira misappropriation in Kaduna.
2. The ICPC Front: New investigations into abuse of office and contract inflation.
3. The DSS Front: Impending cybercrime charges related to the alleged bugging of National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu’s phone.

As of Thursday morning, El-Rufai remains behind the ICPC gates. With his international passport already seized and the agencies rotating his custody, the former “Lagos Lion” is facing the most isolated moment of his political career.