Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai files N10bn suit against ICPC over alleged denial of family access
Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has filed a N10bn fundamental rights suit against the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission ICPC for allegedly preventing his wife, Aichatou Asabe, and son, Abba El-Rufai, from visiting him while in custody. The suit, filed on August 13 at the Federal High Court in Abuja, names the ICPC Chairman and the Attorney-General of the Federation as co-defendants. El-Rufai is seeking nine reliefs, including declarations that his fundamental rights under the 1999 Constitution and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights were violated. He alleges that the repeated denial of family access, particularly for providing food, medication, and other necessities, without lawful justification or court order, violated his rights. He also claims that ICPC officers physically restrained and intimidated his wife and son on July 7, which he describes as arbitrary interference with his spousal and filial relationships. El-Rufai seeks a court order to ensure unhindered access to his family and counsel during his detention. His Principal Secretary, Mohammed Shaba, stated in an affidavit that Asabe had been responsible for providing El-Rufai with necessities and that a previous court order from April 1 directed the ICPC to allow detainees access to counsel and physicians. This new suit follows a separate N1bn fundamental rights suit filed by El-Rufai in February against the ICPC concerning an alleged unlawful search of his
