Fresh controversy has trailed the detention of former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, after his son accused the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, of denying him access to medical care and food while in custody.
The allegation was raised on Thursday by Hon. Mohammed Bello, a member of the House of Representatives representing Kaduna North Federal Constituency.
Bello claimed officials of the anti-graft agency prevented El-Rufai’s personal doctor from seeing him despite what he described as a standing court order granting the former governor unrestricted medical access.
According to the lawmaker, the incident happened on May 15 when the doctor reportedly arrived at the ICPC facility around 3pm to discuss medical test results concerning the former governor.
Bello alleged that officials of the commission refused the doctor entry and insisted that approval must first come from the chairman of the agency before any medical consultation could take place.
He described the action as a direct violation of the court directive earlier issued in relation to his father’s detention.
The lawmaker also accused ICPC officials of blocking the former governor’s wife from delivering food to him later in the evening.
He said Aichatou El-Rufai arrived at the facility around 7pm with her husband’s meal, but was allegedly turned back by security personnel who informed her that food deliveries were no longer allowed after 6:30pm.
The younger El-Rufai condemned the development and accused the anti-corruption agency of breaching his father’s constitutional rights under the guise of detention procedures.
“Today, 15 May 2026, we witnessed two distinct yet equally serious attacks on his basic rights,” Bello stated.
He further wrote: “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.”
“Second, his wife, Aunty Aichatou, brought his evening meal at around 7pm as she normally does. ICPC personnel turned her away, saying they had orders not to permit food deliveries after 6:30pm. This arbitrary rule is no less offensive than blocking his right to medical care.”
He added that the family would no longer tolerate what he called intimidation disguised as official protocol.
“These acts are an outright assault on the rule of law and a clear violation of our father’s constitutional and human rights. No lawful detention justifies denying medical access or refusing basic family care based on an arbitrary curfew fixed by the ICPC. Shame on them as an institution,” he said.
Bello demanded that the anti-graft agency fully comply with court directives and respect the rights of the former governor while investigations continue.
As of the time of filing this report, the ICPC had yet to officially respond to the allegations raised by the lawmaker.