El-Rufai Sues ICPC for N10bn Over Alleged Denial of Family Visits
By Victor Idajil
Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has filed a N10 billion fundamental rights suit against the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, accusing it of blocking his wife and son from visiting him while in custody.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1852/2026, was filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja on August 13. El-Rufai also joined the ICPC Chairman and the Attorney-General of the Federation as 2nd and 3rd defendants.
Through his lawyer, Ubong Akpan, the former governor is seeking nine reliefs, including a declaration that his constitutional rights remain enforceable despite being in detention.
El-Rufai alleged that ICPC officials repeatedly denied his wife, Aichatou Asabe, and his son, Abba El-Rufai, access to him. He said the denial prevented them from delivering food, medication and other necessities.
He claimed the refusal had no lawful justification or court order and violated his rights under Sections 34 and 37 of the 1999 Constitution, as well as Articles 5 and 18 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
The former governor further alleged that on July 7, ICPC officers physically restrained and intimidated his wife and son. He described it as “arbitrary interference” with his family life.
“The respondents’ continued denial of family access without lawful authority is unconstitutional, illegal, null and void,” he told the court.
El-Rufai is asking the court to order the ICPC to grant him “unhindered and reasonable access to members of his family and counsel throughout the period of his detention,” in line with an earlier court directive.
He said the situation had subjected him to “humiliation, emotional trauma, anxiety and psychological distress,” and that the commission’s conduct amounts to unjustifiable interference with his dignity and family life.
In an affidavit deposed by his Principal Secretary, Mohammed Shaba, it was stated that El-Rufai is being detained at the ICPC office in Abuja.
Shaba said the information came from Mrs Asabe, who had been personally responsible for providing the former governor with food, clothing, medication and other personal needs while in custody.
He noted that El-Rufai is the 1st defendant in charge No. FHC/KD/73C/2025 pending before the Federal High Court in Kaduna.
Shaba recalled that Justice R.M. Aikawa of the Kaduna division had on April 1 ordered the ICPC to allow the defendants access to their lawyers and personal physicians whenever needed.
“Clearly, this order reflects the settled principle of law that detainees are not to be held incommunicado and that the ICPC is subject to judicial oversight regarding the conditions of detention,” he stated.
He added that before July 7, Mrs Asabe had regularly visited her husband and delivered items without obstruction.
This is not the first suit El-Rufai has filed against the commission.
In February, he instituted a separate N1 billion fundamental rights suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/345/2026, over what he called the unlawful search of his Abuja residence. He challenged a search warrant issued by an FCT Chief Magistrate and alleged violations of his rights to dignity, liberty, fair hearing and privacy under Sections 34, 35, 36 and 37 of the Constitution.
He later amended the suit and dropped the magistrate as a defendant.
