• ICPC says ADC leaders were denied access to Nasir El-Rufai due to a subsisting court order
• The commission stated that only family members, lawyers and doctors are permitted to visit the former governor
• The anti-graft agency denied claims that opposition leaders were intimidated during the visit

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has explained why leaders of the African Democratic Congress were denied access to former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, saying the decision was based strictly on an existing court order.

Speaking with journalists on Saturday, May 23, ICPC spokesperson, John Odey, dismissed claims by the ADC that its leaders were intimidated and blocked from seeing El-Rufai during a visit to the commission’s headquarters in Abuja on Friday, May 22.

According to Odey, the ADC had earlier written to the anti-graft agency requesting permission for some party chieftains, including former Osun State governor, Rauf Aregbesola, and the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, to visit El-Rufai.

“Yes, we denied them. They wrote to us saying that they wanted to come and visit El-Rufai,” Odey said, adding that the commission responded officially to the request before the visit.

“We got their letter on the 20th or thereabouts and replied to them on the 21st that they should not come because the court order was specific,” he stated.

The ICPC spokesperson explained that the court order only permits access to El-Rufai’s immediate family members, lawyers and medical personnel.

“The access is limited to the category of his immediate family members, his legal counsel and his medical doctors,” Odey said.

“Based on the court order, under the circumstances, we are not able to grant them their request to visit.”

He further maintained that the ADC was duly informed ahead of the attempted visit.

“The letter was given to them, and it was stamped that they received it,” he said, insisting that political associates do not fall within the categories approved by the court.

Odey also rejected allegations that ADC members were harassed or intimidated by security operatives stationed at the commission’s headquarters.

“No harassment whatsoever. They were not intimidated,” he said.

According to him, the presence of armed policemen and security trucks around the premises was part of the agency’s routine security arrangement and not a targeted move against opposition politicians.

“Usually, you know that we have a detachment of mobile policemen at the gate all the time. Sometimes you see their trucks parked there,” he explained.

The ICPC reiterated that it would continue to comply strictly with the court directive restricting access to El-Rufai while he remains in custody.

“We will not allow them. The court was specific,” Odey stressed.

The ADC had earlier accused the commission of deliberately obstructing access to El-Rufai and deploying heavily armed security personnel to intimidate opposition figures during the visit.

El-Rufai is currently facing a nine-count amended charge involving alleged violations of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000, the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act 2006, the Kaduna State Penal Code 2017, and the Kaduna State Public Procurement Law 2017.

The former governor has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Court grants El-Rufai N100m bail over alleged Ribadu phone interception

Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai was granted bail in the sum of N100 million by a Federal High Court in Abuja over allegations linked to the unlawful interception of communications involving National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu.

The bail was tied to strict conditions, including a high-ranking federal civil servant as surety. The court also ordered El-Rufai to surrender all international passports and must report monthly to DSS headquarters pending trial