By Ojima-ojo Abubakar
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has decried restricted access to Nasir el-Rufai, former governor of Kaduna, at the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) detention facility in Abuja.
El-Rufai has been in the custody of the ICPC since February 19 over alleged financial impropriety during his tenure as governor of Kaduna between 2015 and 2023.
On March 28, the former governor was granted temporary leave to attend his mother’s funeral.
In 2024, the Kaduna state house of assembly indicted el-Rufai over the alleged diversion of N423 billion in public funds and money laundering and demanded that he be investigated by anti-graft agencies.
On April 13, 2026, the ICPC arraigned el-Rufai at the Kaduna high court on an amended nine-count charge bordering on alleged fraud and abuse of office.
On May 16, Mohammed Bello, el-Rufai’s son, alleged that ICPC operatives denied his father access to medical and family care at its detention facility.
However, Okor Odey, ICPC spokesperson, described the claim as “false and misleading”.
‘ADC’S DELEGATION DENIED ACCESS TO EL-RUFAI WITHOUT REASONABLE EXPLANATION’
In a statement, Bolaji Abdullahi, national publicity secretary of the ADC, said a delegation of the party led by Rauf Aregbesola, national secretary, and Salihu Lukman, secretary of the policy and manifesto committee, was also prevented from seeing el-Rufai on Friday.
“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.”
Abdullahi noted that the “heavy deployment of policemen”, created the false impression that opposition leaders’ presence at the commission could trigger public outrage.
He expressed deep concerns that “a simple request by senior party officials to visit a detained colleague was met, not with professionalism, but with a show of force more suited to the suppression of civil unrest.”
“At no point did members of our delegation threaten disorder, incite confrontation, or mobilise supporters to the premises,” Abdullahi said.
“Yet the response of the state suggested panic, fear, and an attempt to intimidate not only our party leaders, but also any Nigerian who may dare to question the treatment being meted out to opposition figures.”
He added that “such actions only reinforce growing public concern that state institutions are increasingly being used, not merely for law enforcement, but as instruments of political pressure and psychological intimidation against dissenting voices”.
Abdullahi said the ADC had previously written officially to Musa Aliyu, ICPC chairman, requesting visitation rights to el-Rufai, in light of growing public concerns regarding his wellbeing and reports of repeated restrictions on access to family members and medical personnel.
“Let it be clear: Mallam Nasir El-Rufai is not a fugitive. He voluntarily submitted himself to the authorities,” the ADC publicity secretary said.
“Under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, he is entitled to dignity, medical care, family access, and fair treatment under the law.
“What we are witnessing increasingly appears to be punishment by process, intimidation through isolation, and an attempt to break the spirit of a leading opposition figure.”
He said the party would not stand by and watch one of its leaders subjected to “this pattern of harassment and calculated humiliation”.
“The international community is watching. The world is watching,” he said.
“We therefore demand that the ICPC immediately grant unrestricted access to Mallam El-Rufai by his family, doctors, lawyers, and leaders of his political party.”
He added that anything short of granting the request would only reinforce public perception that state institutions are being weaponised against opposition voices.
