ICPC Refutes Allegations of Denying El-Rufai Access to Food, Medication, Family

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has dismissed allegations that it restricted access to food, medical care, and family visits for former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, while in its custody.

The denial followed claims made by Mohammed Bello, El-Rufai’s son and a federal lawmaker, who accused the anti-graft agency of violating a court order that allegedly granted unrestricted access to the former governor’s physician and family members.

Bello alleged that El-Rufai was denied access to his personal doctor on May 15, 2026, when the medical practitioner reportedly arrived at the ICPC facility to discuss the outcome of medical tests. He further claimed that El-Rufai’s wife was prevented from delivering food to him later that evening despite earlier visits.

He described the incidents as violations of El-Rufai’s constitutional rights and court directives governing his detention.

Responding, the ICPC said the claims were misleading and inconsistent with established procedures, insisting that it operates a structured Access Control Protocol applied to all persons in custody.

According to the Commission, visiting hours run between 9:00 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., adding that this policy has long been in place and applies uniformly to all detainees and visitors.

The ICPC stated that El-Rufai’s family members were allowed multiple visits on the day in question, including the delivery of food on at least three occasions between 10:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., as recorded in its visitor register.

It added that the wife who appeared in the viral video arrived at about 7:00 p.m., which was outside the approved visiting window.

On the issue of medical access, the Commission said it did not deny El-Rufai access to his doctors but only requested proper identification and verification procedures before allowing supervised entry, describing the process as a standard security requirement.

The ICPC also noted that the former governor had recently been granted permission to attend external medical appointments, including visits to a dentist and an ophthalmologist, with commission officials in attendance.

Reiterating its position, the agency stressed that it would not compromise its security protocols, especially in cases involving high-profile individuals, while maintaining that all actions taken were within legal and institutional guidelines.

It urged the public to disregard what it described as “dramatized accounts” aimed at undermining established procedures.