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The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Commission (ICPC) has clarified why top leaders of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) were denied access to former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, who is currently in custody.
The clarification follows complaints made by ADC officials on Friday that they were barred from meeting the former governor at the ICPC headquarters in Abuja.
ADC leaders stranded at ICPC headquarters
Among those denied access were ADC National Secretary, Rauf Aregbesola, National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, and the party’s Manifesto and Political Committee Secretary, Salihu Lukman.
The incident, captured in a video shared by SaharaReporters, has sparked concerns within the party over access to the detained former governor.
The ICPC cites a court order on access to custody
Reacting to the development, ICPC spokesperson, J. Okor Odey, explained that the commission acted strictly in line with the court order regulating visitation rights.
According to him, the court did not grant access to political associates or party officials, but limited visits to family members, legal representatives and doctors.
“The court order allowing access to the defendant in our custody affects family members, lawyers and doctors,” he said.
He also questioned the ADC’s position in relation to the custody agreement, asking: “In this context, please, what is the ADC?”
Bail conditions previously granted by the court
Meanwhile, the Federal High Court, Abuja had earlier granted bail to El-Rufai in the amount of $100 million with a bail of the same sum.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik ordered that the guarantor must reside in Maitama or Asokoro in Abuja and must deposit the original certificate of occupancy of a landed property with the court registry.
The court also ruled that the guarantor must be a federal civil servant no lower than level 17 and must provide proof of salary payment for at least three months, verified through a bank letter.
Additionally, El-Rufai was ordered to submit a letter of attestation from the chairman of the Kaduna Traditional Council as part of his bail conditions.
Allegations of rights violations
The development comes in the context of allegations from El-Rufai’s family that ICPC officials restricted access to his doctors and visitors despite what they described as valid court orders.
His wife, Aichatou El-Rufai, had previously accused the agency of denying entry to her doctor to review medical tests and also of refusing her access to deliver him food outside of designated visiting hours, claims the ICPC has not directly addressed in detail.
