El-Rufai’s Lawyer Rejects Alleged Egypt Properties, Charges ICPC With Smear Campaign

The lawyer representing former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, Ubong Esop Akpan, has dismissed claims that his client owns multi-billion-naira properties in Egypt, describing them as baseless and originating from anonymous sources.

In a statement issued in Abuja on Monday, Akpan accused the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) of leveraging the allegations to justify El-Rufai’s continued detention. He stated that the reports circulating in some media outlets rely on unnamed informants and lack verifiable evidence.

Akpan argued that the claims are part of a coordinated smear campaign aimed at tarnishing the reputation of the former governor and generating public support for his prolonged custody. He noted that El-Rufai has been held 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), transferred him from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The lawyer highlighted that El-Rufai had voluntarily presented himself to the EFCC on February 16 and was granted administrative bail before being moved to ICPC custody. He stressed that the detention, lasting over 20 days without formal charges, contravenes Section 35 of the 1999 Constitution, which mandates that suspects be arraigned within a reasonable period.

Akpan further questioned the legitimacy of a 14-day remand order reportedly issued by a magistrate court on February 19, asserting that the court lacked jurisdiction, the order expired on March 4, and it was never served on El-Rufai or his legal team. He challenged the ICPC to file charges in court if credible evidence exists.

He added that the legal team has initiated criminal complaints against the ICPC chairman and other officials allegedly involved in the matter.