El‑Rufai’s wife sues ICPC for N2 bn over alleged defamation

Aichatou El‑Rufai, wife of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir Ahmad El‑Rufai, has sent a pre‑action notice to the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) over the ongoing detention of her husband.

In the notice, her lawyers are demanding N2 billion in damages, alleging that the commission made false and harmful statements about her.

The claim was included in a letter filed after the ICPC issued a press statement titled “Clarification on the Access Control Protocol at ICPC Headquarters, Abuja” on 18 May 2026.

According to the notice, many parts of the statement presented by ICPC spokesperson Okor Odey were inaccurate. Mrs El‑Rufai’s legal team said Odey made false statements that seriously damaged her reputation.

They objected to the commission’s description of Mrs El‑Rufai as “a woman who identified herself as the wife of a defendant,” arguing that the wording questioned her status as the legal wife of the former governor.

The lawyers also contended that the commission’s statement calling her earlier claims “false and misleading” painted her as dishonest, harming her public reputation.

They further disputed allegations that she broke visitation rules at the commission’s headquarters, saying such accusations portrayed her as someone who ignores proper procedures.

Additionally, the notice highlighted statements that, according to the legal team, implied Mrs El‑Rufai had been inconsistent about her claims that her husband was denied food while in custody. The lawyers said these comments damaged her trustworthiness and honesty.