ADC Accuses ICPC Of Blocking Access To El-Rufai, Alleges Intimidation

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) on Friday accused the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) of denying its senior officials access to former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, currently in the custody of the anti-graft agency.

The party also condemned what it described as an “unnecessary and disproportionate” deployment of armed police officers to the ICPC headquarters in Abuja during an attempted visit by its leaders.

In a statement issued by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said three truck loads of armed police personnel were deployed to prevent the party leaders’ from having access to El-Rufai.

The ADC said the delegation comprised its National Secretary, Rauf Aregbesola; National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi; and Secretary of the ADC Policy and Manifesto Committee, Salihu Lukman.

The party said the delegation was denied access to the detainee despite prior communication with the Commission.

According to the ADC, the delegation had visited the ICPC headquarters in Abuja to see the former governor but was refused entry “without any reasonable explanation.”

The party further alleged that while its officials were waiting for a response to their request, “no fewer than three truckloads of armed police officers” arrived at the premises, creating what it described as a tense atmosphere.

The ADC said the deployment suggested that authorities feared the presence of opposition figures at the Commission could provoke public outrage.

“It is deeply troubling that a simple request by senior party officials to visit a detained colleague was met, not with professionalism, but with a show of force more suited to the suppression of civil unrest,” the statement read.

The opposition party insisted that its delegation was peaceful and unarmed, adding that no attempt was made to incite disorder or mobilise supporters to the premises.

The ADC accused state institutions of increasingly being used “as instruments of political pressure and psychological intimidation against dissenting voices.”

The party disclosed that Aregbesola had earlier written formally to ICPC Chairman, Musa Adamu Aliyu, requesting visitation rights to El-Rufai following concerns over his wellbeing and reports of restrictions on access to family members and medical personnel.

The statement referenced allegations earlier made by El-Rufai’s wife, Asia El-Rufai, who reportedly claimed that her husband was denied access to his doctor and that she was prevented from delivering food to him while in custody.

The ADC said family members had also complained that court-ordered medical access was being frustrated through “administrative obstruction and arbitrary protocols.”

Although the ICPC had publicly denied the allegations and maintained that due process was followed, the ADC argued that the refusal to allow party leaders to see El-Rufai had further heightened suspicion surrounding his detention.

“Mallam Nasir El-Rufai is not a fugitive. He voluntarily submitted himself to the authorities. Under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, he is entitled to dignity, medical care, family access, and fair treatment under the law,” the party stated.

The ADC warned that it would not remain silent while one of its leaders was allegedly subjected to “harassment and calculated humiliation.”

The party demanded that the ICPC immediately grant unrestricted access to El-Rufai by his family, doctors, lawyers and political associates, warning that continued denial would reinforce public perception that state institutions were being weaponised against opposition figures.