Hadiza Isma, wife of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, has rejected allegations by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) that wiretapping devices were uncovered during a search of their residence.
In a post shared on X, Hadiza Isma stated that no such equipment was found during the operation. “I was there. No such equipment was found. They lie. But why? An agency with no credibility at all,” she wrote, directly challenging the anti-corruption agency’s claims.
The ICPC had earlier announced that suspected surveillance devices capable of intercepting confidential communications and accessing classified security materials were recovered during a raid on El-Rufai’s Abuja residence. The agency suggested that the items were sophisticated tools potentially linked to unlawful monitoring activities.
However, the former governor’s family has strongly disputed the narrative. Mohammed Bello El-Rufai, son of Nasir El-Rufai and member representing Kaduna North Federal Constituency, described the allegations as false and politically motivated.
In a statement titled “ICPC’s Phantom Phone Tapping Equipment Allegations Against Mallam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai and the Constitutional Right to Silence,” the family accused the ICPC of conducting what it termed a “circus of chicanery” rather than adhering to established legal procedures.
The statement emphasized several key points. First, it argued that El-Rufai’s constitutional right to remain silent was wrongly characterized by the ICPC as non-cooperation. Second, it maintained that only ordinary household items including old mobile phones, laptops, and storage devices were seized, insisting that no sophisticated tapping equipment existed. Third, the family alleged that the search was executed using a defective and possibly forged warrant, calling into question the legitimacy of the operation.
The family further accused the commission of unprofessional conduct and manufacturing evidence, asserting that it suffers from a credibility deficit. They confirmed that legal counsel has been instructed to challenge both the search warrant and the ICPC’s public statements in court.
The dispute highlights mounting tensions between prominent political figures and anti-corruption agencies, as questions surrounding due process and institutional credibility continue to shape public debate.
