Mohammed Bello has accused the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission of denying his father, former Kaduna State governor Nasir el-Rufai, access to medical care and family support while in detention.
In a statement issued late Friday, Bello alleged that officials of the anti-graft agency prevented El-Rufai’s personal doctor from meeting him at the commission’s detention facility despite an existing court order granting the former governor unrestricted access to his doctors.
According to Bello, the doctor arrived at the facility around 3pm on Friday to discuss the outcome of recent medical tests conducted on El-Rufai but was denied entry by officials who reportedly insisted that written approval from the ICPC chairman was required before the visit could proceed.
The statement read in part, “Our father, Mallam Nasir, is still being held by the ICPC. Today, 15 May 2026, we witnessed two distinct yet equally serious attacks on his basic rights.
“First, his personal Doctor visited the ICPC at about 3pm to discuss the results of medical tests recently conducted on our father. Officials at the agency blocked the doctor from seeing him, claiming that written permission from the ICPC Chairman was required. This directly flouts a clear court order granting Mallam Nasir El-Rufai unrestricted access to his doctors.”
Bello described the action as a direct violation of a subsisting court order and an infringement on the former governor’s constitutional rights.
He further alleged that El-Rufai’s second wife, Aichatou el-Rufai, was also denied access to deliver his evening meal after officials reportedly informed her that food deliveries were not allowed after 6:30pm.
“This arbitrary rule is no less offensive than blocking his right to medical care,” Bello stated.
The former governor’s son condemned what he described as intimidation disguised as administrative procedure, insisting that no lawful detention should justify restrictions on medical access or basic family care.
“No lawful detention justifies denying medical access or refusing basic family care based on an arbitrary curfew fixed by the ICPC,” he added.
He said the family would no longer tolerate any violation of El-Rufai’s rights and demanded full compliance with all constitutional protections due to the former governor.
El-Rufai has remained in ICPC custody since February 19 over allegations of financial impropriety linked to his tenure as Kaduna State governor between 2015 and 2023.
The latest allegation is expected to intensify public scrutiny over the former governor’s detention and may trigger renewed legal and political pressure on the anti-corruption agency regarding its handling of the case.
What You Should Know
The allegations by El-Rufai’s family raise serious legal and human rights concerns, particularly because they involve claims of disobedience to a court order.
If proven, denying a detainee access to medical care despite judicial approval could attract legal consequences for the agency involved. The case also carries political significance given El-Rufai’s national profile and recent tensions surrounding his detention.
As pressure mounts, the ICPC may be compelled to publicly clarify its actions, while the matter could further deepen debates over due process, detention conditions, and the treatment of high-profile political figures in Nigeria.
