.

.

LAGOS, Nigeria (September 11, 2026) — The Network for Democracy and Development (NDD), a civil society coalition focused on governance and anti-corruption advocacy, has called on the Attorney General of the Federation and the leadership of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to review the basis and duration of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai’s continued detention, which has now stretched beyond 200 days.

In a press release issued Friday, NDD said it maintains “full support for measures that advance public integrity and curtail corruption,” but argued that the credibility of any anti-corruption effort depends on strict adherence to the rule of law and due process. The group said no prosecution should be conducted in a way that leaves citizens perceiving “legitimate prosecution as political persecution.”

Citing Sections 35 and 36 of the 1999 Constitution — which guarantee personal liberty, trial within a reasonable time, and a fair, public and impartial hearing anchored on the presumption of innocence — NDD said prolonged detention “far beyond what is reasonable” raises institutional concerns that extend past any single case and can erode public confidence in the justice system. “A matter before the court is not a conviction; ICPC custody is not a prison sentence,” the group said.

NDD’s National Coordinator, Tajudeen Alabede, and General Secretary, Muhammad Jameel Muhammad, signed the statement, which called on authorities to immediately review the basis and duration of El-Rufai’s detention, ensure strict compliance with constitutional timelines and bail provisions, and proceed with prosecution in open court without delay “so that justice is not only done, but seen to be done.”

Background

El-Rufai has been in custody since mid-February, when he voluntarily reported to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on February 16 over allegations tied to a Kaduna State House of Assembly report alleging that about ₦423 billion was mismanaged during his eight-year tenure as governor. He was subsequently transferred to ICPC custody, and in April the commission filed a 10-count charge against him and a co-defendant, Joel Adoga, at the Federal High Court in Kaduna, alleging conversion and possession of proceeds of corruption and money laundering. A separate nine-count case alleging abuse of office, fraud, and irregular public contracts was filed at the Kaduna State High Court. El-Rufai has pleaded not guilty and denied all wrongdoing, describing the prosecution as politically motivated.

He also faces a separate case brought by the Department of State Services (DSS) over the alleged unlawful interception of telephone communications involving National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu — a claim connected to El-Rufai’s assertion that he learned of an attempt to arrest him at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja through an intercepted call.

His continued custody has been linked in part to bail conditions set by the courts, including a ₦200 million bond with two sureties in a Federal High Court ruling. He was briefly released on compassionate grounds in March to bury his mother, who died in Cairo during his detention, before returning to custody. Family members have also raised concerns about his health, including a relative’s claim in June that a doctor at the National Hospital, Abuja, flagged possible signs of prostate cancer, though the family has acknowledged the ICPC has facilitated hospital visits and allowed relatives to bring him food.

El-Rufai’s case has become a recurring flashpoint in opposition politics ahead of the 2027 general election. He joined the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC) in November 2025 after breaking from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Paul Ibe, media aide to ADC presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, has repeatedly criticized the detention, calling El-Rufai a “political prisoner” and contrasting his treatment with that of former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, who remains politically active — including securing the APC’s senatorial ticket — despite facing an ongoing EFCC prosecution. Ibe has alleged that police, the EFCC, ICPC, and elements of the judiciary have been deployed against opposition figures ahead of the election.

Prosecuting agencies have maintained that El-Rufai’s case is being handled within the law. Neither the Attorney General’s office nor the ICPC had responded to NDD’s specific calls as of this report.

This is a developing story.