Hon. Mohammed Bello El-Rufai, son of former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, has accused the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) of violating his father’s constitutional rights during his detention.
Mohammed El-Rufai, who represents Kaduna North Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, made the allegation in a statement shared on his verified Facebook page.
In the statement, the lawmaker said the family had witnessed what he described as serious violations of the former governor’s rights by officials of the anti-corruption agency.
According to him, two separate incidents involving access to medical care and family support showed what he called a disregard for the rule of law by the commission.
He explained that the first incident involved Nasir El-Rufai’s personal doctor, who reportedly visited the ICPC office around 3pm to discuss the outcome of medical tests recently conducted on the former governor.
Mohammed El-Rufai alleged that officials of the commission refused to allow the doctor to see his father, insisting that written approval from the ICPC Chairman was required before access could be granted.
The lawmaker argued that the action was against a court order which, according to him, granted the former governor unrestricted access to his doctors while in custody.
“Our father’s personal doctor visited the ICPC at about 3pm to discuss the results of medical tests recently conducted, but officials at the agency blocked the doctor from seeing him, claiming that written permission from the ICPC Chairman was required,” he stated.
He further alleged that the second incident occurred later in the evening when Nasir El-Rufai’s wife, Aichatou, visited with his dinner.
According to the statement, ICPC officials allegedly denied her access to deliver the meal because she arrived after 6:30pm.
“Second, his wife, Aunty Aichatou, brought his evening meal at around 7pm as she normally does. ICPC personnel turned her away, saying they had orders not to permit food deliveries after 6:30pm,” he wrote.
Mohammed El-Rufai described the actions as arbitrary and unlawful, saying they amounted to violations of his father’s constitutional and human rights.
He said no lawful detention should prevent a detainee from receiving medical attention or basic care from family members.
According to him, the family would no longer tolerate what he described as intimidation disguised as official procedure.
“We demand that all his constitutional rights be fully respected. We will no longer accept this pattern of intimidation dressed up as protocol,” he stated.
He also insisted that the anti-corruption agency must operate within the law and obey court directives.
“The ICPC must abide by the very laws it claims to enforce,” he added.
As of the time of filing this report, the ICPC had not officially responded to the allegations made by the former governor’s son.
The development has drawn public attention because of Nasir El-Rufai’s political influence and his recent clashes with some political figures following the end of his tenure as Kaduna State governor in 2023.
El-Rufai, a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory under ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, remains one of the most outspoken politicians in the country.
During his eight years as governor of Kaduna State, he was known for controversial reforms, strong political positions and repeated confrontations with critics and opposition groups.
Since leaving office, the former governor has remained active in national political discussions and has continued to comment on issues affecting the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the country.
The ICPC is one of Nigeria’s major anti-corruption agencies responsible for investigating and prosecuting corruption-related offences.
Over the years, the commission has handled several high-profile cases involving politicians, government officials and public institutions.
Under Nigerian law, detainees are entitled to legal representation, medical attention and family access within the limits approved by the courts.
The allegations by Mohammed El-Rufai are likely to increase public debate about how anti-corruption agencies handle politically exposed persons and whether due process is always followed.
Meanwhile, supporters of the former governor have continued to express concern over his treatment, while others have called on the ICPC to publicly clarify the situation.
For now, attention remains focused on the ICPC and whether the commission will respond to the allegations raised by the former governor’s family.