The opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC) on Friday accused the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) of obstructing access to former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, who is currently in the custody of the anti-graft agency.
The party alleged that a delegation comprising its National Secretary, Rauf Aregbesola; National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi; and Secretary of the ADC Policy and Manifesto Committee, Salihu Lukman, was denied access to El-Rufai at the ICPC headquarters in Abuja.
In a statement issued on Friday, the ADC claimed that the development occurred despite prior communication with the ICPC Chairman, Musa Adamu Aliyu, requesting visitation rights for the former governor.
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The party further alleged that while its leaders were awaiting a response at the Commission’s premises, “no fewer than three truckloads of armed police officers” arrived at the facility, creating what it described as an atmosphere of intimidation.
According to the statement signed by Abdullahi, the deployment of security personnel was “entirely unnecessary and disproportionate” to the peaceful visit by opposition leaders.
“It is deeply troubling 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,” the statement read.
The ADC said the incident had reinforced public concerns that state institutions were being used as instruments of political pressure against opposition figures.
The party also referenced recent allegations by El-Rufai’s wife, Hajiya Asia El-Rufai, who reportedly claimed that her husband was denied access to his doctor and that she was prevented from delivering food to him while in custody.
While noting that the ICPC had publicly denied the allegations and maintained that due process was followed, the ADC insisted that the continued restriction of access to the former governor had raised further questions about the nature of his detention.
“Mallam Nasir El-Rufai is not a fugitive. He voluntarily submitted himself to the authorities. Under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, he is entitled to dignity, medical care, family access, and fair treatment under the law,” the party stated.
The ADC demanded that the ICPC grant unrestricted access to El-Rufai by his family, lawyers, doctors and political associates, warning that anything short of that would reinforce public perception that state institutions were being weaponised against opposition voices.
