Former Kaduna State Governor Mallam Nasir el-Rufai was denied access to medical care for a worsening eye condition while in the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, his spokesperson Muyiwa Adekeye has alleged.
In a statement issued Friday, June 5, 2026, Adekeye said ICPC operatives ignored repeated requests by el-Rufai and his family for a hospital visit after his eyes became “visibly swollen, reddish and itchy.”
He said the discomfort escalated overnight, alarming family members who visited him.
According to Adekeye, two ICPC officials examined el-Rufai’s eyes and were expected to either arrange a hospital check or summon a doctor. Instead, he claimed, no medical attention was provided.
“The persistent problem with his eyes during his time in custody had led Mallam’s counsels to obtain a court order to enable him access to his doctors and medical treatment,” Adekeye stated. “Despite this, the ICPC persists in treating him as if he is without rights and is undeserving of a duty of care while in their custody.”
Adekeye further alleged that an official identified as “Henry,” believed to be seconded to the ICPC from another agency, falsely told a family member that el-Rufai had declined to see a doctor. The claim was “vigorously challenged” by the family, he said, describing it as “false, insensitive and absurd.”
He added that this was “not the first time that an attempt will be made by ICPC officials to attribute to Mallam what he did not tell them.”
el-Rufai was taken to an eye clinic on Thursday, June 4, but his condition deteriorated overnight, prompting alarm from his wives who visited him on Friday, the statement said.
Adekeye warned that no government agency is permitted to ignore the medical needs of detainees.
“The ICPC must respect human rights of persons in its custody, obey court orders and allow them access to the medical treatment that they require,” he said.
The ICPC had yet to respond to the aallegationsas of press time.
