Former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has been granted temporary bail from the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to enable him attend the funeral of his late mother, Hajiya Umma El-Rufai.

The former governor, who has been in detention since February 18, was released on compassionate grounds following the death of his mother in Cairo, Egypt, an aide confirmed.

His son, Bashir El-Rufai, also disclosed the development in a post on social media, confirming that his father had been freed from custody.

As of the time of filing this report, the ICPC had yet to issue an official statement detailing the conditions of the temporary bail or the next steps in its investigation.

El-Rufai is currently facing multiple legal challenges across different courts, including allegations of financial misconduct, money laundering, and national security breaches.

On March 24, the ICPC arraigned him alongside co-defendant Joel Adoga at the Federal High Court in Kaduna on charges bordering on alleged conversion and possession of public property, as well as money laundering. He pleaded not guilty, and the court adjourned ruling on his bail application to March 31, 2026.

In a separate case before the Kaduna State High Court, the anti-graft agency is prosecuting him alongside another defendant, Amadu Sule.

Additionally, the Department of State Services (DSS) has filed a three-count charge against the former governor at the Federal High Court in Abuja over alleged unlawful interception of communications linked to the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu. His arraignment in that matter is scheduled for April 23, 2026.

El-Rufai has, however, challenged the actions of the authorities through multiple counter-suits. He is seeking ₦1 billion in damages against the ICPC and other agencies over an alleged unlawful raid on his Abuja residence, as well as ₦2 billion in damages in a separate suit against the DSS, where he is asking the court to dismiss the charges.

The legal battles stem from events that began on February 16, 2026, when he was initially detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over an alleged ₦423 billion misappropriation before being re-arrested by the ICPC shortly after his administrative bail.