El-Rufai Remains in ICPC Custody Amid Legal Protests

Nasir El-Rufai, the former governor of Kaduna State, has spent a second night in the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) as of Thursday, following his detention on Wednesday night. His lawyers protested against the ICPC's search of his residence in Abuja, claiming it violated due process.

Muyiwa Adekey, El-Rufai's media aide, stated that the ICPC's actions were unlawful. El-Rufai's lawyer, Ubong Akpan, condemned the search and indicated that El-Rufai had expressed willingness to cooperate with the ICPC, as evidenced by a letter sent on Tuesday.

The ICPC has not disclosed the specific offenses under investigation but has been linked to a probe concerning a failed N11.1 billion joint venture related to the Kaduna light rail project. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) released El-Rufai late Wednesday before he was taken into ICPC custody.