Abuja, Nigeria – March 4, 2026* – Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai has defended his decision to remain silent during questioning by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), describing it as an exercise of his constitutional right rather than defiance.

El-Rufai, who is currently detained and under investigation by the anti-graft agency for alleged financial misconduct during his tenure as governor from 2015 to 2023, submitted two handwritten statements to ICPC officers on February 19 and 20, 2026. The statements were made under caution and in the presence of his lawyer, Ubong E. Akpan.

In the February 19 statement, El-Rufai provided personal background details—including his birth in Dandawa, Katsina State, in 1960; education at Ahmadu Bello University, Harvard University, and the University of London; and career highlights as Director General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, and two-term Governor of Kaduna State. He noted that he is now retired and resides mostly in Egypt with part of his family and his 96-year-old mother.

The former governor explicitly invoked his right to silence, stating: “In response to your question (and indeed all your questions), I have, on the advice of counsel, decided to exercise my right to silence. I will make no further statement or respond to any question. I believe that after nearly two years of intensive investigation, the ICPC should present its findings to a judicial tribunal and not to me. I will respond to any allegations in a court of law only.”

He further alleged that the probe is politically motivated due to his prominent role in the African Democratic Congress (ADC), which he described as “the only surviving opposition party in Nigeria.”

In a follow-up statement on February 20, after investigators presented additional documents, El-Rufai reaffirmed his stance: “In furtherance to my statement dated 19 February, 2026... I reserve my constitutional right to silence to all the documents and further questions. As clearly stated in my statement dated 19 February 2026, I will respond to these documents and questions only when presented in a Court of Law.”

The ICPC secured a 14-day remand order from a Chief Magistrate Court in Bwari on February 19, 2026, allowing El-Rufai's detention for ongoing investigations into allegations including money laundering and abuse of office. The order is set to expire on March 5, 2026.

El-Rufai's position comes amid broader legal battles, including his filing of a N1 billion fundamental rights enforcement suit against the ICPC and others over an alleged unlawful raid on his Abuja residence on February 19. The former governor has maintained that the investigations constitute political persecution, insisting that any response to the allegations will occur only in a judicial setting.

The ICPC has not publicly commented on the specifics of El-Rufai's statements but has indicated it intends to conclude its probe and file charges before the remand period ends. The case continues to draw attention amid claims of political targeting and ongoing anti-corruption efforts in Nigeria.