El-Rufai Sues ICPC Again, Demands N10bn Over Family Access

Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has filed a fresh N10bn lawsuit against the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission over alleged restrictions on his family’s access to him while he remains in custody.

El-Rufai filed the fundamental rights case at the Federal High Court in Abuja on August 13, 2026. The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1852/2026, names the ICPC, its chairman and the Attorney-General of the Federation as defendants.

Through his lawyer, Ubong Akpan, the former governor accused the commission of stopping his wife, Aichatou Asabe, and his son, Abba El-Rufai, from visiting him.

He claimed that the restrictions had affected his ability to receive food, medication and other personal items from his family. He also alleged that ICPC officials prevented his wife and son from seeing him during an incident on July 7.

El-Rufai is asking the court to declare that his constitutional rights remain protected despite his detention. He is also seeking an order that would allow him reasonable and regular access to his family and legal representatives throughout his detention.

The former governor argued that keeping him away from his family without a lawful reason or a court order amounted to a violation of his rights to dignity and privacy, as well as his family relationships.

The case is linked to an ongoing criminal matter involving El-Rufai before the Federal High Court in Kaduna. He is currently being held at the ICPC office in Abuja.

An affidavit filed in support of the new case by Mohammed Shaba, El-Rufai’s Principal Secretary, stated that the former governor’s wife had previously been responsible for bringing him food, clothing, medication and other necessities while he was in custody.

Shaba said family visits had continued without problems until July 7, when access was allegedly restricted.
He also referred to an earlier order issued by Justice R.M. Aikawa of the Federal High Court in Kaduna on April 1. According to the affidavit, the order allowed the defendants in the case to have access to their lawyers and personal doctors when necessary.

The latest suit is not El-Rufai’s first legal challenge against the ICPC. In February, he filed a separate N1bn fundamental rights case over an alleged search of his Abuja residence.

That earlier case challenged the warrant used for the search and raised claims involving his rights to dignity, personal liberty, fair hearing and privacy.
The N1bn case was later amended after El-Rufai removed the Chief Magistrate who issued the search warrant from the list of defendants.

The new N10bn suit adds another legal dispute between the former governor and the anti-corruption agency as proceedings over the allegations against him continue.