Former Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai Invokes Right to Silence Amid Intensifying Anti-Graft Investigation

Former Governor Nasir El-Rufai invokes right to silence in DSS custody, labeling the ICPC's two-year corruption probe as partisan political persecution.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 4, 2026, 9:35 AM EST

Source: The information in this article was sourced from Independent Newspapers Limited

A Strategic Refusal to Cooperate with Executive Investigators

The ongoing legal confrontation between Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai and Nigeria's primary anti-corruption agencies reached a stalemate this week as the former governor officially invoked his constitutional right to silence. Currently held by the Department of State Services (DSS) after being transferred from the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), El-Rufai has informed investigators that he will no longer participate in non-judicial questioning. This defiant stance follows a series of sessions where the former two-term governor of Kaduna State maintained that any further dialogue regarding the allegations against him must occur exclusively within a court of law.

Allegations of Political Motivation and Opposition Targeting

Central to El-Rufai’s defense is the assertion that the nearly two-year investigation into his tenure and personal conduct is a direct result of his current political affiliations. In a handwritten statement dated February 19, 2026, he identified himself as a leading member of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), which he characterized as the only surviving opposition force in Nigeria. El-Rufai argued that his role within the ADC is the primary catalyst for the probe, suggesting that the executive branch is utilizing anti-graft agencies as a tool for political pressure rather than for the objective pursuit of justice.

The Transition from Ministerial Service to Retirement in Egypt

Providing a rare glimpse into his current personal life, El-Rufai’s cautionary statements detailed his transition from high-level public service to a largely retired life abroad. The former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory noted that he now resides primarily in Egypt with his 96-year-old mother and half of his family. By emphasizing his professional background in quantity surveying and his academic credentials from Harvard and the University of London, El-Rufai framed his career as one of public contribution that is now being unfairly scrutinized through the lens of partisan rivalry.