The family of former governor of Kaduna state, Nasir El-Rufai has accused the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) of violating his constitutional rights by allegedly denying him access to medical care and restricting food deliveries while he remains in custody.
In a statement released on Thursday, the family claimed that El-Rufai was still being held by the anti-graft agency despite an existing court order granting him unrestricted access to his doctors.
According to the statement, El-Rufai’s personal physician visited the ICPC headquarters at about 3 pm on May 15 to discuss the outcome of recent medical tests carried out on the former Kaduna governor. However, the family alleged that officials of the commission refused to allow the doctor see him, insisting that approval from the ICPC chairman was required before access could be granted.
The family described the action as a violation of the court directive and an infringement on El-Rufai’s fundamental rights.
The statement also alleged that El-Rufai’s wife, Aichatou El-Rufai, was denied access to deliver his evening meal when she arrived at the commission’s headquarters around 7 pm.
According to the family, ICPC officials informed her that food deliveries were not allowed after 6:30 pm due to internal directives.
Condemning the development, the family stated, “No lawful detention justifies denying medical access or refusing basic family care based on arbitrary rules.”
They further accused the commission of engaging in “intimidation dressed up as protocol” and demanded that all constitutional rights due to the former governor be respected.
“We will no longer accept this pattern of intimidation dressed up as protocol. The ICPC must abide by the very laws it claims to enforce,” the statement added.
The family also disclosed that efforts were ongoing to ensure that El-Rufai received his meal despite the restrictions.
