Officials of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on Thursday ransacked the Abuja residence of former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai, his media adviser Muyiwa Adekeye confirmed in a brief statement.
According to the statement, ICPC operatives arrived at the property around 2 p.m. and conducted a search of the entire premises. El-Rufai’s lawyer, Ubong Akpan, swiftly condemned the operation, describing it as “unlawful and a clear violation of legal procedures and fundamental rights.”
The raid came a day after the ICPC confirmed that El-Rufai was in its custody. “Malam Nasiru El-Rufai, former Governor of Kaduna State, is in our custody as of the close of work today, Wednesday, the 18th day of February, 2026. He is in the custody of the Commission in connection with investigations,” ICPC spokesperson John Odey said on Wednesday. The Commission offered no further details on the nature of the case.
Thursday’s development is the latest in a rapidly escalating series of encounters between the former governor and Nigeria’s security and anti-corruption agencies. Last Friday, the chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) confirmed receiving a formal ICPC invitation. “Yesterday, after the futile attempt to abduct me, the ICPC delivered a letter inviting me to their office. My lawyer has written to confirm that I will be attending the ICPC office on Wednesday, 18 February 2026,” El-Rufai wrote on X.
Days earlier, he had visited the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) headquarters in Abuja over allegations of financial misconduct during his tenure as Kaduna governor between 2015 and 2023. Reports also emerged of security operatives attempting to arrest him on his return from Cairo, Egypt.
El-Rufai further claimed that someone had wiretapped the phone of National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, intercepting instructions for his arrest. The Department of State Services (DSS) subsequently filed a three-count charge against him for allegedly intercepting Ribadu’s conversation; a charge prosecutors say contravenes Section 12(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) (Amendment) Act, 2024.
