The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, has explained why leaders of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, were denied access to former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, who is currently in its custody.
The explanation followed claims by the ADC that senior officials of the party were blocked from seeing El-Rufai at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja on Friday.
The opposition party had described the alleged denial of access as troubling, saying the restrictions around El-Rufai’s detention had raised fresh concerns about political persecution.
The ADC also referred to allegations by members of El-Rufai’s family that the former governor had been denied access to doctors, food and visitors despite voluntarily presenting himself to the authorities.
However, ICPC spokesperson, Okor Odey, dismissed the claims as “false and misleading,” insisting that the commission acted in line with an existing court order.
Odey said the commission had formally declined the ADC’s request to visit El-Rufai through a letter dated May 21, 2026, which was acknowledged the following day.
“We wrote them an official letter declining their request to visit. The reasons are in the letter. The category of persons we are to give access is clear in the court order,” Odey said.
In the letter signed by S. Yahaya, Director of Operations, the ICPC explained that El-Rufai is standing trial before the State High Court of Justice, Kaduna, and the Federal High Court of Nigeria, both sitting in Kaduna.
The commission said although El-Rufai is in its custody by order of both courts, the courts remain fully seized of the matters.
“Though the defendant is in the Commission’s custody by order of both courts, the court is fully seized of the matter,” the letter read.
“The court has granted access to the defendant to his family, doctors and counsel. These are the only categories of persons granted access to see the defendant in the Commission’s custody. Consequently, the application cannot be granted.
“Please accept the assurances of the Hon. Chairman’s best regards.”
Odey also explained that the presence of police officers at the ICPC gate was part of routine security procedure and not targeted at the ADC leaders.
The development comes amid growing political controversy over El-Rufai’s detention and claims by opposition figures that state institutions are being used to intimidate critics of the government.
