Why You Can’t See El-Rufai — ICPC Tells ADC Leaders

ICPC says ADC leaders were denied access to Nasir El-Rufai because a court order permits only family members, doctors and legal counsel to visit the former Kaduna governor in custody.

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has explained why leaders of the African Democratic Congress were denied access to former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, while in the commission’s custody.

The ADC had on Friday accused the ICPC of preventing senior party members from seeing El-Rufai at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja, raising concerns over what it described as possible political persecution.

The opposition party also alleged that members of El-Rufai’s family claimed he had been denied access to doctors, food and visitors despite voluntarily honouring the invitation of the anti-corruption agency.

Reacting to the allegations, ICPC spokesperson, Okor Odey, dismissed the claims as “false and misleading,” insisting that the commission acted strictly in line with an existing court order governing El-Rufai’s detention.

According to Odey, the ICPC formally rejected the ADC’s request through an official letter dated May 21, 2026, which was acknowledged by the party the following day.

“We wrote them an official letter declining their request to visit. The reasons are in the letter. The category of persons we are to give access is clear in the court order,” Odey stated.

In the letter signed by the ICPC Director of Operations, S. Yahaya, the commission explained that El-Rufai is currently standing trial before both the Kaduna State High Court and the Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna.

The commission stated that although the former governor remains in ICPC custody by order of the courts, only specific categories of persons are permitted to see him.

“The court has granted access to the defendant to his family, doctors and counsel. These are the only category of persons granted access to see the defendant in the Commission’s custody. Consequently, the application cannot be granted,” the letter read.

The ICPC further noted that the courts handling the matter remain fully in charge of the case and that the commission must comply strictly with the judicial directives.

Odey also clarified that the heavy police presence observed around the ICPC headquarters was part of normal security procedures and not connected to any alleged political intimidation.