El-Rufai's Lawyer Critiques ICPC Over Property Allegations

Ubong Esop Akpan, the counsel for former Kaduna State Governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, has publicly criticized the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) regarding allegations that El-Rufai owns multi-billion naira properties in Egypt. Akpan labeled these claims as baseless and suggested they stem from an anonymous leak aimed at justifying the unlawful detention of his client.

He argued that the media reports relied on unverified sources and were part of a coordinated smear campaign designed to discredit El-Rufai and undermine public support for him. El-Rufai has been in custody since February 18, 2026, following his voluntary presentation to the EFCC on February 16.

Akpan contended that El-Rufai's detention has exceeded 20 days without formal charges, violating Section 35 of the 1999 Constitution, which mandates that suspects be arraigned within a reasonable time. He also indicated that the legal team plans to initiate a criminal complaint against the ICPC chairman for alleged involvement in the matter.