By Peter Omopo
Mohammed Bello, son of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, has accused the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) of denying his father access to medical care and family members while in detention.
El-Rufai has remained in ICPC custody since February 19 over allegations of financial misconduct linked to his administration between 2015 and 2023.
The former governor was previously granted temporary leave to attend his mother’s funeral following his detention.
His legal troubles stemmed from a 2024 indictment by the Kaduna State House of Assembly, which accused him of allegedly diverting N423 billion in public funds and involvement in money laundering, while recommending investigations by anti-corruption agencies.
On April 13, 2026, the ICPC arraigned El-Rufai before a Kaduna High Court on an amended nine-count charge bordering on alleged fraud and abuse of office.
In a statement issued on Saturday, Mohammed Bello alleged that officials of the anti-graft agency violated a court order by preventing El-Rufai’s personal doctor from meeting him at the detention facility.
According to him, the doctor arrived at the ICPC office around 3pm to discuss the outcome of medical tests recently conducted on the former governor but was denied access.
He claimed that officials insisted that written approval from the ICPC chairman was required before the doctor could see El-Rufai.
Mohammed Bello described the action as a violation of an existing court order, which he said granted the former governor unrestricted access to his doctors while in custody.
He further alleged that El-Rufai’s second wife, Aichatou, was also denied access after attempting to deliver his evening meal.
According to him, ICPC personnel informed her that food deliveries were not allowed after 6:30pm.
The lawmaker described the development as an infringement on his father’s constitutional rights and criticised what he called arbitrary restrictions imposed by the commission.
“No lawful detention justifies denying medical access or refusing basic family care based on an arbitrary curfew fixed by the ICPC,” he said.
He added that the family would continue to demand full respect for El-Rufai’s constitutional rights and would no longer tolerate what he described as intimidation disguised as protocol.
As of the time of filing this report, the ICPC had not issued an official response to the allegations raised by Mohammed Bello.
