March 11, (THEWILL) — The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has secured an extension of detention for former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, with a Chief Magistrate Court in Abuja approving a 14-day remand to allow the commission to conclude investigations into fresh allegations.
Chief Magistrate Okechukwu Akweke granted the extension on Wednesday with the new detention set to expire on March 19, 2026.
The order was issued following a request by the ICPC to allow sufficient time to investigate claims of money laundering and abuse of office against the former governor, who also served as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
In his ruling, Chief Magistrate Akweke stated: “An order of this Honourable Court issuing a remand warrant against the Respondent (Nasir Ahmed El-Rufai) in favour of the Applicant, i.e., ICPC, to detain the respondent in its custody for another fourteen (14) days pending conclusion of investigation activities on allegations of money laundering/abuse of office. The return date shall be the 19th day of March 2026 for the report of compliance.”
This extension follows earlier attempts by El-Rufai to quash his initial remand order, which were dismissed by a Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Bwari, Abuja.
The current application to set aside the extension has been returned to Chief Magistrate Akweke, who has scheduled March 17, 2026, to decide whether to nullify the order.
El-Rufai’s counsel, Ukpong Esop Akpan, argued that the initial remand order represented a jurisdictional overreach, claiming that it was fundamentally defective and ought to be set aside.
The application was brought pursuant to sections 293, 294, 295, 296, 298, 299, and 100 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, Section 6(6)(b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999, as amended), and Order 26, Rules 1-3 of the Magistrates’ Courts Rules of the FCT.
Supporting the application was a 20-paragraph affidavit deposed to by Mohammed Salihu Shaba, who confirmed he had the authority of the respondent to depose in support, describing the remand order dated 19th February 2026 as defective and null.
The ICPC emphasized that the additional 14 days of detention would allow the commission to thoroughly investigate fresh allegations before deciding on further legal action.
Court records indicate that El-Rufai was duly represented by legal counsel during the proceedings, and the application for extension was filed by ICPC prosecuting counsel, Osuobeni Ekoi Akponimisingha.
El-Rufai is expected to remain in ICPC custody in Abuja until March 19, 2026, unless the court decides otherwise on March 17.
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