UPDATED: ICPC operatives raid El-Rufai’s residence

As part of ongoing investigations into alleged corruption said to have been committed during his eight-year tenure, operatives of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on Thursday searched the residence of the detained former Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir el-Rufai.

This was disclosed on X (formerly Twitter) by media adviser to the former governor, Muyiwa Adekeye.

According to Adekeye, the former governor’s home was visited by ICPC officials earlier Thursday.

“UPDATE: The residence of Malam Nasir @elrufai was today searched by the ICPC, ” he wrote on the microblogging site. 

One of el-Rufai’s lawyers, Ubong Akpan, while reacting to the raid, condemned it, noting that it was “unlawful and a clear violation of legal procedures and fundamental rights”.

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The former governor was detained by ICPC on Wednesday following his release on administrative bail by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) after spending two days in its custody.

ICPC spokesperson, John Okor Odey, confirmed el-Rufai’s detention by the commission, saying the former governor was taken in custody by ICPC as of the close of work on Wednesday. 

He added that el-Rufai was in custody in connection with ongoing investigations.

According to Odey, “Malam Nasiru El-Rufai is in the custody of the commission in connection with investigations.”

After a failed attempt by security operatives to arrest him last Friday at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja upon his arrival from Egypt, el-Rufai’s passport was seized by the operatives.

He subsequently honoured an invitation sent to him by EFCC while he was outside the country last Monday and was detained by the commission. 

The anti-corruption commission, it was learnt, is investigating the former governor based on a petition it received from the Kaduna State House of Assembly. 

The Assembly had set up an ad hoc committee in 2024 to probe finances, loans obtained during el-Rufai’s eight-year reign as governor, and contracts awarded within the period. 

The committee, in its report, indicted the el-Rufai administration of misappropriation of loans it obtained, violation of due process in the award of contracts, and recommended investigation and prosecution of the former governor.

Meanwhile, Tribune Online reports that the Federal Government, through the Department of State Service (DSS), had filed a three-count charge against the embattled former governor before the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, for allegedly intercepting the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu’s phone conversations.