Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has asked the Federal High Court to award him ₦10bn in damages over alleged denial of access to his wife and son while in ICPC custody.
Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has filed a fresh ₦10 billion fundamental rights suit against the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), accusing the anti-corruption agency of denying him access to members of his family while in detention.
The suit, filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja, centres on allegations that El-Rufai's wife, Aichatou Asabe, and his son, Abba El-Rufai, were prevented from visiting him at the ICPC detention facility.
El-Rufai is asking the court to declare that the continued denial of access to his immediate family without lawful authority is unconstitutional, illegal and a violation of his fundamental rights.
In the suit, the former governor is seeking ₦10 billion in damages over what he described as violations of his constitutional rights.
He is also asking the court to order the ICPC to grant him reasonable and unhindered access to members of his family and his legal representatives throughout his detention, consistent with an earlier court order on access.
El-Rufai alleged that ICPC officers physically restrained and intimidated his wife and son on July 7, 2026, describing the incident as an unlawful interference with his family relationships.
According to the court documents, he argued that preventing his family from seeing him also affected their ability to provide him with food, medication and other necessities while he remained in custody.
The ICPC is listed as the first respondent in the case, while the commission's chairman and the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice are also named as respondents.
El-Rufai's application asks the court to determine whether the alleged restrictions imposed on his family access are consistent with his constitutional rights to dignity and private and family life.
The latest lawsuit adds another layer to the ongoing legal dispute surrounding El-Rufai's detention by the ICPC.
The former governor is being investigated over allegations relating to his tenure as Kaduna State governor. His detention and subsequent legal proceedings have generated a series of disagreements between his legal team and the anti-corruption agency.
El-Rufai's latest application, however, focuses specifically on family access and alleged violations of his fundamental rights while in custody.
Beyond the financial compensation, the former governor wants the court to formally recognise his right to maintain reasonable contact with his family and lawyers during his detention.
He is also asking the court to declare the alleged denial of family access without lawful justification unconstitutional and to direct the respondents to allow such access going forward.
The case now places the question of detainees' family access and fundamental rights before the Federal High Court, with the court expected to consider the claims and responses from the parties involved.