El-Rufai’s family accuses ICPC of violating court order, denying ex-Governor medical access

The family of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has accused the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) of violating his constitutional rights while in detention.

In a statement signed by Mohammed Bello El-Rufai on Thursday, the family alleged that officials of the anti-graft agency blocked El-Rufai’s personal doctor from seeing him despite a subsisting court order granting him unrestricted medical access.

According to the statement, “Our father, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, is still being held by the ICPC. Today, 15 May 2026, we witnessed two distinct yet equally serious attacks on his basic rights.”

“First, his personal doctor visited the ICPC at about 3:00 p.m. to discuss the results of medical tests recently conducted on our father. Officials at the agency blocked the doctor from seeing him, claiming that written permission from the ICPC Chairman was required. This directly flouts a clear court order granting Mallam Nasir El‑Rufai unrestricted access to his doctors.”

“Second, his wife, Aunty Aichatou, brought his evening meal at around 7:00 p.m. as she normally does. ICPC personnel turned her away, stating they had orders not to permit food deliveries after 6:30 p.m. This arbitrary rule is no less offensive than blocking his right to medical care.”

“These acts are an outright assault on the rule of law and a clear violation of our father’s constitutional and human rights. No lawful detention justifies denying medical access or refusing basic family care based on an arbitrary curfew fixed by the ICPC. Shame on them as an institution.”

“We demand that all his constitutional rights be fully respected. We will no longer accept this pattern of intimidation dressed up as protocol. The ICPC must abide by the very laws it claims to enforce. We are still struggling to ensure he has his meal,” he said