The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has dismissed reports claiming it sought a fresh court order to extend the remand of former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by its spokesperson, John Odey, the commission said that its court appearance on March 17, 2026, was solely to respond to an application filed by El-Rufai challenging his detention.
According to the ICPC, the former governor had filed an application on March 6 seeking to overturn a remand order granted on March 5.
During proceedings, his counsel was served with the commission’s response and subsequently requested an adjournment to study the reply.
The presiding magistrate adjourned the matter to March 31, 2026, to allow the defence time to respond.
“ICPC wishes to clarify the current legal status of the remand in detention of the former Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai. This statement is necessary to correct inaccurate reports by some media outlets suggesting that the commission was in court today, 17th March 2026, seeking a fresh extension of his detention.
“The commission appeared in court today for the hearing of Mallam El-Rufai’s application, dated and filed on 6th March 2026, which seeks to overturn the court order renewing his remand issued on 5th March 2026.
“During today’s proceedings, counsel to Mr El-Rufai was served with our response to his application. The lawyer subsequently requested an adjournment to respond to the commission’s response. Consequently, the magistrate adjourned the hearing of the application to 31st March 2026 to allow Mr El-Rufai’s team sufficient time to react to our response,” the statement read in part.
The ICPC explained that an initial court order allowed it to detain El-Rufai for 14 days to investigate allegations of money laundering and abuse of office.
It added that upon expiration, the commission obtained another 14-day extension on March 5 to continue its investigation.
The agency also disclosed that an earlier attempt by El-Rufai’s legal team to set aside a remand order issued on February 19 was dismissed by the court on March 9.
The commission maintained that El-Rufai remains in lawful custody under the subsisting court order and that it is complying with provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015.
Reaffirming its position, the anti-graft agency stressed its commitment to due process and avoiding trial by media.
“The ICPC remains firm in upholding its longstanding policy of avoiding media trials. We believe that legal disputes should be settled in the courtroom, not on newspaper pages and social media platforms.
“The commission’s leadership remains steadfast and undeterred in confronting any and all challenges in the course of the investigation. We urge the public to avoid spreading unverified information and to rely on official updates from the commission,” the statement added.
El-Rufai has been in ICPC custody since February 19, shortly after his release from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
