Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has launched a significant legal challenge against the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, filing a ₦10 billion lawsuit over claims that he was denied access to his family during his time in detention.
According to documents obtained by Zoyols News, the legal action was initiated on August 13, 2026, at the Federal High Court in Abuja. The suit, filed by his legal counsel, Ubong Akpan, names the commission’s chairman and the Attorney-General of the Federation as co-defendants alongside the agency.
The core of the former governor’s complaint centers on allegations that his wife, Aichatou Asabe, and his son, Abba El-Rufai, were repeatedly blocked from visiting him while he was held by the agency. El-Rufai maintains that this restriction prevented him from accessing essential food and necessary medication, asserting that there was no lawful justification or court order to support such a denial of access.
A specific incident from July 7 is highlighted in the filing, where El-Rufai claims that officers from the commission physically intimidated and restrained his family members. He characterizes these actions as a direct and unlawful interference with his fundamental rights to private and family life, as well as his right to the dignity of his person.
Citing constitutional protections and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the former governor is asking the court to declare the commission’s actions illegal and unconstitutional. Beyond the formal declarations, he is seeking substantial damages totaling ₦10 billion in compensation for what he describes as a severe breach of his human rights. The case is now pending before the judiciary, await the next steps in these proceedings.
