Mohammed Bello has accused the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) of denying his father, who is the former Kaduna State governor, Nasir el-Rufai, access to medical and family care while in detention.
In a statement issued late Friday, Bello alleged that ICPC officials prevented El-Rufai’s personal doctor from meeting him at the agency’s detention facility on Friday despite a court order granting the former governor unrestricted access to his doctors.
According to him, the doctor visited the facility around 3pm to discuss the outcome of recent medical tests conducted on El-Rufai but was denied access by officials who allegedly insisted on written approval from the ICPC chairman.
It partly reads, “Our father, Mallam Nasir, is still being held by the ICPC. Today, 15 May 2026, we witnessed two distinct yet equally serious attacks on his basic rights. First, his personal Doctor visited the ICPC at about 3pm to discuss the results of medical tests recently conducted on our father. Officials at the agency blocked the doctor from seeing him, claiming that written permission from the ICPC Chairman was required. This directly flouts a clear court order granting Mallam Nasir El‑Rufai unrestricted access to his doctors.”
He described the action as a direct violation of a subsisting court order and an infringement on the former governor’s constitutional rights.
Bello further alleged that el-Rufai’s second wife, Aichatou, was also denied access to deliver his evening meal after officials reportedly informed her that food deliveries were not allowed after 6:30pm.
“This arbitrary rule is no less offensive than blocking his right to medical care,” he said.
The former governor’s son described the development as an assault on the rule of law and condemned what he termed intimidation disguised as administrative procedure.
“No lawful detention justifies denying medical access or refusing basic family care based on an arbitrary curfew fixed by the ICPC,” he added.
He said the family would no longer tolerate any violation of el-Rufai’s rights and demanded that all constitutional protections due to the former governor be respected.
El-Rufai has been in ICPC custody since February 19 over allegations of financial impropriety during his tenure as Kaduna State governor between 2015 and 2023.