Akpan’s comments followed reports that the former governor owns multi-billion-naira properties in Egypt.
Ubong Esop Akpan, legal counsel to former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, has accused the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) of carrying out politically motivated persecution.
Akpan’s comments followed reports that the former governor owns multi-billion-naira properties in Egypt.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Monday, El-Rufai’s lawyer, Akpan described the allegations as “baseless anonymous leaks” aimed at justifying what he called the unlawful detention of his client.
According to the lawyer, the claims circulating in sections of the media rely on unnamed sources and lack verifiable evidence.
He argued that the reports form part of a coordinated smear campaign designed to discredit the former governor and generate public support for his continued detention.
Akpan said El-Rufai has been in custody since the night of February 18, 2026, after operatives allegedly acting under the direction of the Director-General of the Department of State Services, DSS, took him from the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
He explained that the former governor had voluntarily presented himself to the EFCC on February 16 and was granted administrative bail before being transferred to the ICPC.
The lawyer maintained that the detention, which he said has lasted for more than 20 days without formal charges, violates Section 35 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, which requires suspects to be arraigned within a reasonable time.
Akpan also questioned the validity of a 14-day remand order reportedly issued by a magistrate court on February 19, arguing that the court lacked jurisdiction. He added that the order expired on March 4 and was never served on El-Rufai or his legal team.
According to him, the former governor has repeatedly challenged the ICPC to file charges in court if any credible evidence exists.
He further disclosed that the legal team has begun criminal complaint proceedings against the ICPC chairman and other officials allegedly involved in the matter.
1SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER NOW
Support MATAZ ARISING’ journalism of integrity and credibility.
Good journalism ensure the possibility of a good society, an accountable democracy, and a transparent government.
We ask you to consider making a modest support to this noble endeavour.
TEXT AD: To advertise here – Email ad@matazarising.com
LATEST POSTS
-
How President Tinubu is redrawing South-East’s political map
MaTaZ ArIsInGDallas, Texas When the 2023 presidential election results were announced, many analysts and commentators gave a largely unanimous verdict regarding the voting pattern in the South-East. The region had voted almost entirely along the ethnic line. The figures told part of the story: Mr Peter Obi of the Labour Party swept the zone with over…
-
Lagos 2027: I never agreed to one term as governor – Hamzat
MaTaZ ArIsInGDallas, Texas Lagos State Deputy Governor and the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate for the 2027 election, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, has dismissed speculation that he entered into an agreement to serve only one term if elected governor, insisting there was never such an arrangement. Speaking in an interview, Hamzat described the claim as…
-
Tinubu Has Finally Adopted My 2-Decade-Old Power Blueprint, Atiku Claims
MaTaZ ArIsInGDallas, Texas Former Vice President of Nigeria and Presidential Candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has claimed that the President Bola Tinubu administration has only now embraced an electricity policy direction he advocated more than two decades ago, arguing that the government spent nearly three years worsening Nigeria’s power crisis before…
