Disrespect for court orders fuels lawlessness.

The family of Mallam Nasir El‑Rufai has issued a press release that raises serious concerns about how law‑enforcement agencies treat detainees. On 15 May 2026, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) denied the family’s request to allow Mallam’s doctor to visit him and also prevented dinner delivery from his wife. These actions contradict court orders that granted him access to family, legal counsel, and medical care. When “protocols” are invoked to override court orders, the orders lose their authority.

The family’s statement indicates that these measures go beyond ordinary detention procedures. The ICPC’s decision to withhold a meal because it was delivered 30 minutes late, coupled with a two‑hour delay in the doctor’s visit, appears punitive rather than procedural. While detaining an individual for an investigation is lawful, denying basic rights and dignity constitutes harassment. The rule of law demands that agencies operate within the bounds of the law, not above them.

This issue is not a matter of politics or personalities. It is a warning to Nigerians that a dangerous pattern is emerging. If agencies can disregard court orders today while citing “protocols,” what stops the same practice when those in power are no longer in office? Young Nigerians observing this may conclude that court rulings are optional and that outcomes are determined by who holds power. The consequences are clear: erosion of trust in the judiciary, normalization of executive overreach, discouragement of civic participation, and the risk that future leaders will treat citizens as they were treated. Such a cycle weakens institutions and benefits no one.

The current administration must recognize that selective compliance with court orders sets a perilous precedent. Today it concerns one citizen; tomorrow it could affect any Nigerian. If young people see court rulings as optional, they will lose faith in institutions and believe that power, not law, decides outcomes. That lesson harms the country far more than any single case.

Therefore, I call on the administration to intervene and ensure that the ICPC respects court orders, allows Mallam access to his doctor and family, and stops practices that turn detention into punishment. Law enforcement must be firm, but it must also be lawful. Nigeria’s democracy depends on it.

Ibrahim Bukar Tijjani, hkbukar74@gmail.com