The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) says Nasir El-Rufai’s wife, Aichatou El-Rufai, and his son, Bello, lied and misled the public in alleging that the agency disapproved food and medical care for the former governor.
Okor Odey, deputy director and head of media and public communications at the ICPC, made the disclaimer on Monday during a press briefing at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
He noted that the press conference aimed to address recent allegations circulating in the media regarding the ICPC’s access control protocol at its headquarters in Abuja, and to provide accurate information and correct misleading narratives.
Mr El-Rufai’s family had accused the ICPC of denying the former governor access to food and medical care while in detention.
In a video that went viral on social media and was seen by the Peoples Gazette, El-Rufai’s wife, Aichatou, was seen outside the ICPC headquarters holding a flask of food as she addressed the camera. She alleged that she arrived at the commission’s premises around 7 p.m. on Friday but was not allowed entry to deliver food to her detained husband.
“I have been here since 7 p.m., and the security at the ICPC denied me access to my husband,” she said in the video, adding, “Here is his food. They said they have been ordered not to allow me access to the building.”
Also, the ex-governor’s son, Bello El-Rufai, alleged that his father’s personal doctor visited the anti-graft agency’s headquarters around 3 p.m. to discuss the results of recent medical tests on his father, but was denied access by officials.
Mr Odey said the ICPC, as a government agency mandated to prevent corruption and enforce anti-corruption laws, operates within the confines of Nigerian law and in line with international best practices.
“Central to this is a humane and orderly access control protocol that governs entry to its premises, which is respected by all visitors to the commission,” Mr Odey said.
He stated that the ICPC’s access control protocol, which permits visitor access between 9:00 am and 6:30 pm, had been in place long before the current chairman assumed office.
“It is a standing institutional policy that applies to all persons in custody, and the families of all defendants and suspects in ICPC custody, including the family in question (El-Rufai), were duly informed of this protocol and have, until this incident, been in compliance,” Mr Odey noted.
He further revealed that on the particular Friday, May 15 2026, one of Mr El-Rufai’s wives and a housemaid were permitted to bring food to the defendant on “no fewer than three (3) occasions between 10:30 am and 5:30 pm.
“This is documented in the visitor register, which records the names of family members and the purpose of each visit, and is available for independent verification (see entries 11, 12, 41, 43, 49, and 50),” he said.
He added that visitors, including family members, legal counsel, and medical personnel, were permitted to visit, deliver food, and consult with persons in custody, but that entry was strictly prohibited after 6:30 pm.
He noted that Mrs El-Rufai admitted in the trending video that she arrived at 7:00 pm, 30 minutes after the official access window closed.
“It is also on record that she has, on prior occasions, exceeded her permitted visiting duration. Furthermore, the woman herself admitted in the same video that she had delivered both breakfast and lunch to her husband earlier that day, thereby contradicting the allegation that the ICPC denied him access to food,” Mr Odey said.
He further noted that, given that Mr El-Rufai is a former director general of a federal agency, a former minister and member of the Federal Executive Council, and a former state governor, the ICPC was obligated to maintain elevated security measures for his protection, as well as that of all other persons in its custody.
Regarding Mr El-Rufai’s son’s allegation that medical personnel were denied access to his father, the ICPC said it only requested proper identification of the personnel in question and confirmation from the defendant or his family before granting supervised access, as part of standard security procedures.
Mr Odey said, “A medical personnel came here on Thursday and said he came to review the result of Mr El-Rufai’s tests with him. He didn’t particularly identify as a medical doctor, but he identified as medical personnel.
“The ICPC was not informed that someone would come to review his test results, but the man came at 3 p.m., and we asked him to identify himself. Normally, Mr El-Rufai or his family would write whenever they needed something, but in this case, no one wrote to us.
“So, we asked the visitor for a written document to show that he was sent by the family or requested by the suspect, but he couldn’t provide any written address to that effect.
“We did not deny access; it was part of the access control process, and until we’re sure, we will not allow it, and we will not apologise for doing the right thing.”
He added, “If we do not have proper notification and we do not have clearance, we will not allow it. The court said he should be granted medical access and allowed his family access to him, but the court didn’t say that should be done outside of our standard operating protocol.”
Concerning Mr El-Rufai’s bail and continued detention, the commission noted that the former governor had yet to meet his bail conditions.
“The court granted him bail, but he’s yet to meet his bail conditions. If he meets his bail conditions, we’ll immediately release him,” Mr Odey said.
He, however, noted that “The ICPC chairman would decide whether or not to take legal action or otherwise on the matter. The commission is pained that people could go to that extent to lie and concoct.”
He stated that in the week preceding this incident, Mr el-Rufai had requested, and was granted, permission to visit both his dentist and eye doctor on two separate occasions.
“The commission accompanied him on both visits. This is in addition to the regular access he enjoys to the commission’s in-house medical personnel and facilities upon request,” Mr Odey said.
“The ICPC notes with concern that the visit in question was conducted in the company of media personnel, arriving outside the approved access window,” he added.