The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) says it has arrested Nasir el-Rufai, former governor of Kaduna State.
The arrest comes moments after El-Rufai was released on bail by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday.
According to J. Okor Odey, ICPC’s head of media and public communications, el-Rufai was detained on Wednesday night in connection with ongoing investigations.
Odey wrote: “The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) writes to state that Malam Nasiru El-Rufai the former Governor of Kaduna state is in our custody as at close of work today Wednesday the 18th day of February, 2026. Malam Nasiru El-Rufai is in the custody of the Commission in connection with investigations.”
The former Kaduna governor was initially detained by the EFCC on Monday over allegations of corruption.
He was granted administrative bail at about 8 p.m. on Wednesday but was immediately taken into custody by operatives of the ICPC stationed at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja, according to witnesses.
Meanwhile, the Department of State Security, DSS has filed cybercrime charges against Mr El-Rufai at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/99/2026, followed remarks he made during a live interview on Arise Television on Friday, in which he alleged that the phone of Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, was tapped.
El-Rufai claimed he overheard Mr Ribadu directing security operatives to detain him, linking the alleged directive to an attempted arrest at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport last Thursday after returning from Cairo, Egypt.
