El-Rufai Slams ICPC, AGF With N10bn Rights Suit

• Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has filed a N10 billion fundamental rights enforcement suit against the ICPC, its Chairman Musa Aliyu and the Attorney-General of the Federation

• El-Rufai alleges that ICPC officials repeatedly denied his wife and son access to visit him or provide food, medication, clothing and other personal necessities.

• The former governor is asking the Federal High Court in Abuja to declare the actions of the respondents unconstitutional and compel unrestricted access to his family and legal team.

• The fresh suit introduces a new legal battle alongside the criminal charges already pending against El-Rufai, placing the legality of his detention conditions.

August 17, () — Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has dragged the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), its Chairman, Musa Aliyu, and the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), before the Federal High Court in Abuja, seeking N10 billion in damages over alleged violations of his fundamental rights while in custody.

reports that the suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1852/2026, was filed on August 13 through his counsel, Ubong Akpan.

In the application, El-Rufai is seeking nine reliefs, including declarations that his constitutional rights remain enforceable despite his detention and that the respondents unlawfully infringed on those rights by allegedly denying him access to members of his immediate family.

The former governor contends that the actions of the respondents breached his rights to dignity of the human person and private and family life guaranteed under Sections 34 and 37 of the 1999 Constitution, as well as Articles 5 and 18 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

According to the court documents, El-Rufai alleged that ICPC officials repeatedly prevented his wife, Aichatou Asabe El-Rufai, and his son, Abba El-Rufai, from visiting him or supplying him with food, medication, clothing and other personal necessities during his detention.

He further alleged that on July 7, officers of the anti-graft agency physically restrained and intimidated both his wife and son when they attempted to see him.

The former governor argued that the continued refusal to grant his family access amounted to an unconstitutional interference with his dignity and family life, insisting that the conduct subjected him to humiliation, emotional trauma, anxiety and psychological distress.

He is therefore asking the court to declare the alleged denial of access illegal, null and void, and to compel the respondents to grant him unhindered and reasonable access to his family members and legal representatives throughout the period of his detention.

Supporting the application, El-Rufai’s Principal Secretary, Mohammed Shaba, deposed to an affidavit stating that the former governor is being detained at the ICPC headquarters in Abuja.

Shaba disclosed that Justice R.M. Aikawa of the Federal High Court, Kaduna Division, had, on April 1, issued an order directing the ICPC to allow defendants in the criminal case access to their lawyers and personal physicians whenever required.

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According to the affidavit, the order reflects the legal principle that detainees cannot be held incommunicado and that detention conditions remain subject to judicial supervision.

Shaba maintained that El-Rufai continues to enjoy all protections guaranteed under the Constitution and the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015, including humane treatment and reasonable access to members of his family.

He added that before July 7, El-Rufai’s wife had consistently visited him and delivered meals, medication and other personal items without obstruction, in accordance with the commission’s established visitation procedures.