THE Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has reportedly dismissed a security officer for allegedly helping Aichatou Asabe el-Rufai, wife of former Kaduna State governor Nasir el-Rufai, bypass the commission’s access protocol to see her husband in custody.

TheCable reported that the officer, identified as Daniel Stephen, was dismissed after an internal investigation into the incident.

According to the report, Stephen was caught on CCTV allegedly assisting Aichatou to gain unauthorised access to the ICPC premises on July 5, 2026.

The security officer, who was attached to the commission’s internal security team, reportedly admitted in a handwritten statement that he violated the commission’s visitor access procedure.

TheCable reported that Stephen drove Aichatou into the premises through a back entrance and escorted her upstairs to the area where el-Rufai was being held.

At one point, he allegedly switched off a light before entering the room where the former governor was being detained.

The visit reportedly lasted about 15 minutes, during which Aichatou handed a document to her husband, picked up a black purse and spoke to him in Hausa about a court matter.

Stephen reportedly said visitors to the facility were required to register at the gate and obtain clearance from the head of the security unit before being allowed access.

He also reportedly disclosed that he had previously assisted Aichatou into the facility after her identity was confirmed and had helped another man, who claimed to be el-Rufai’s blood brother, gain access through the back entrance.

Access dispute preceded lawsuit

The reported dismissal comes weeks after a dispute between the former governor’s family and the ICPC over access to him while in custody.

In May, el-Rufai’s family accused the commission of restricting access to the former governor.

On May 15, his son, Mohammed Bello, alleged that his father’s personal doctor, who visited the ICPC facility around 3pm to discuss medical test results, was denied access because he did not have written permission from the commission’s chairman.

Aichatou was also reportedly turned away when she arrived at about 7pm with food for her husband.

The ICPC, however, rejected the claims, saying its access-control protocol allowed visitors into the facility between 9am and 6:30pm.

The commission said family members had been allowed to visit and bring food earlier that day, but that access was not permitted after the stipulated visiting hours.

El-Rufai sues ICPC over access denial

On August 13, el-Rufai filed a N10 billion suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja against the ICPC, its chairman, Musa Aliyu, and the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi.

In the suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1852/2026, the former governor alleged that his wife and son had repeatedly been denied access to him.

He also claimed that his wife and son were physically restrained and intimidated by ICPC officers on July 7.

El-Rufai argued that the alleged restrictions deprived him of food, medication and other necessities supplied by his family.

His lawyers relied on constitutional provisions protecting fundamental rights, as well as provisions of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

The ICIR reached out to ICPC spokesperson, Okor Odey, for the commission’s response to the reported dismissal of the security officer and the circumstances surrounding the incident. 

He had yet to respond to messages seeking his comment as of press time.

Mustapha USMAN

Mustapha Usman is an investigative journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: musman@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M