The family of former Kaduna State governor, 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 in custody.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the family said El-Rufai remained in the custody of the anti-graft agency despite a court order granting him unrestricted access to his doctors.
According to the family, El-Rufai’s personal doctor visited the ICPC headquarters around 3 pm on May 15 to discuss the outcome of recent medical tests conducted on the former governor.
The family alleged that officials of the commission prevented the doctor from seeing him, insisting that written approval from the ICPC chairman was required.
They described the development as a direct violation of the court order and an infringement on his fundamental rights.
The statement further alleged that El-Rufai’s wife, Aichatou, was also denied access when she arrived at about 7 pm with his evening meal.
According to the family, ICPC officials informed her that food deliveries were not permitted after 6:30 pm due to internal directives.
The family condemned the restriction, saying, “No lawful detention justifies denying medical access or refusing basic family care based on arbitrary rules.”
The family 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 read.
The family added that efforts were ongoing to ensure El-Rufai received his meal.
