The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) says it rejected the request by leaders of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to visit Nasir el-Rufai because of an existing court order limiting access to him.
The ADC had earlier accused the anti-corruption agency of intimidating its members through a heavy deployment of police officers after party officials were denied access to the former Kaduna governor at the commission’s detention facility in Abuja on Friday.
El-Rufai has remained in ICPC custody since February 19 over allegations of financial misconduct during his administration as Kaduna governor between 2015 and 2023.
He was, however, granted temporary leave on March 28 to attend the burial of his mother.
In 2024, the Kaduna State House of Assembly accused el-Rufai of allegedly diverting N423 billion in public funds and involvement in money laundering, urging anti-graft agencies to investigate him.
On April 13, 2026, the ICPC arraigned the former governor before the Kaduna High Court on an amended nine-count charge bordering on alleged fraud and abuse of office.
Earlier on May 16, Mohammed Bello, son of Nasir el-Rufai, alleged that ICPC officials denied his father access to medical care and family members while in detention.
He claimed the action by the commission “directly flouts a clear court order granting el-Rufai unrestricted access to his doctors”.
But Okor Odey, spokesperson of the ICPC, dismissed the allegation as “false and misleading”.
In a statement issued on Friday, Bolaji Abdullahi, ADC national publicity secretary, said a delegation of the party led by Rauf Aregbesola, the party’s national secretary, and Salihu Lukman, secretary of its policy and manifesto committee, was also denied access to el-Rufai.
“Despite prior communication and formal requests, we were denied access without any reasonable explanation,” the statement reads.
“While we were at the premises awaiting a response to our request, the atmosphere suddenly became noticeably tense after no fewer than three truckloads of armed police officers arrived at the facility.”
Responding to the allegation in an interview with TheCable, Odey said the commission formally declined the ADC’s request in a letter dated May 21, 2026, which the party acknowledged the next 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 said.
In the letter signed by S. Yahaya, director of operations, the ICPC explained that el-Rufai “is standing trial before the State High Court of Justice, Kaduna, and Federal High Court of Nigeria, both sitting in Kaduna”.
“Though the defendant is in the Commission’s custody by order of both courts, the court is fully seised of the matter,” the letter reads.
“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.
“Please accept the assurances of the Hon. Chairman’s best regards.”
Odey also rejected claims that the police presence around the ICPC office was meant to intimidate ADC members, explaining that security personnel at the facility are part of routine operations.