By Suleiman Anyalewechi
For allegedly denying his family members access to him, detained former Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, has filed a fresh N10 billion suit against the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC.
El-Rufai who has been facing inter-agency prosecutions over multiple charges bordering on alleged money laundering, diversion of public funds and illegal wiretapping of the telephone lines of the National Security Adviser NSA has been in the Custody of the ICPC since February 18, 2026.
In the suit filed on his behalf by his Counsel, Ubong Akpan, and in which the ICPC Chairman and the Attorney -General of the Federation AGF and Minister of Justice Lateef Fagbemi are among the principal respondents, El-Rufai accused the Commission of specifically blocking his wife Aichatou Asabe and son, Abba El-Rufai, from seeing him while in its custody.
Similarly in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1852/2026 and filed on August 13,2026 , El-Rufai, apart from complaining about non- access to his family, is seeking nine other reliefs, including an order of the Court declaring that his repeated refusal and prevention from access to his family members, while in custody, particularly to provide him with food, medication and other necessities, without any lawful justification or Court order breaches his rights.
In the originating summons, El-Rufai prayed the Court for a declaration to the effect that his constitutionally guaranteed fundamental human rights notwithstanding his detention subsists and remain inviolable and therefore should be respected by the ICPC.
He contended that the rights which are enshrined in Sections 34 and 37 ,under Part IV of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, are also guaranteed by Articles 5 and 18 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
The Chieftain of the opposition African Democratic Congress, ADC, further sought an order of the court declaring as amounting to a violation and breach of his right to dignity of the person, as well as his right to private and family life the physical restraint, intimidation and treatment meted out to Asabe and Abba (wife and son) by officials of the ICPC on July 7, 2026, and their alleged arbitrary interference with his spousal and filial relationship.
He also prayed the court for an order declaring as unconstitutional, illegal, null and void, the Commission’s continued denial of his family members access to him.
El-Rufai consequently, asked the court to issue an order “directing the respondents to grant him an unhindered and reasonable access to members of his family ,as well as legal representatives throughout the pendency of his detention as earlier directed by the Federal High Court.
He contended that despite a subsisting court order permitting his family members and lawyers access to him,the anti-corruption commission has continued to prevent them, especially his family members from seeing him without any justification.
El-Rufai further argued that the action of the Commission has resulted in the inability of his family to give him food, medication and other necessities, a development he said has subjected him to humiliation, emotional trauma, anxiety and psychological distress.
“The respondents acted arbitrarily, unlawfully, and in a manner inconsistent with Sections 34 ,37 and 46 of the Constitution and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
“The respondents’ conduct amounts to an unjustifiable interference with the applicant’s dignity and family life and is therefore unconstitutional” El-Rufai submitted.
The source reports that El-Rufai, for months, has been battling, albeit unsuccessfully, to perfect his bail warrant owing to the stringent conditions attached.
The former Kaduna State Governor’s family members, especially his wives, legal team and personal physician, have been engaged in a battle of wits, over alleged denial of access to El-Rufai.
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