The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has defended its decision to deny leaders of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) access to former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, insisting that the action was in line with a valid court order.
The commission’s spokesman, John Odey, made the clarification on Saturday while responding to allegations by the ADC that its members were harassed and prevented from seeing the former governor during a visit to the ICPC headquarters on Friday.
According to Odey, the ADC had formally written to the commission requesting permission for some of its senior members to visit El-Rufai, who is currently in custody.
He said the request was reviewed and declined because the court order governing El-Rufai’s detention clearly stated the categories of persons allowed access to him.
“Yes, we denied them. They wrote to us saying that they wanted to come and visit El-Rufai.
”They listed those people who came: Aregbesola, Bolaji Abdullahi, and others,” Odey said.
“We got their letter on the 20th or thereabouts and replied to them on the 21st that they should not come because the court order was specific,” he added.
The ICPC spokesman explained that only El-Rufai’s immediate family members, legal representatives, and medical doctors were authorised to see him under the terms of the court directive.
“The access is limited to the category of his immediate family members, his legal counsel, and his medical doctors.
”Based on the court order, under the circumstances, we are not able to grant them their request to visit,” he stated.
Odey further dismissed claims that the ADC delegation was not informed ahead of their arrival at the commission’s office.
According to him, the ICPC officially communicated its position to the party before the visit took place.
“The letter was given to them, and it was stamped that they received it.
“But there is evidence that ADC received the letter. The fact remains that ADC is a political association and does not fall under the category that the court ordered us to grant access, ” he said.
The commission also rejected allegations that opposition figures were intimidated during the incident.
ADC leaders had claimed that heavily armed police officers were deployed to the premises to prevent them from meeting El-Rufai.
Reacting to the allegation, Odey insisted that no harassment or intimidation occurred and described the security presence as routine.
“No, no, no. They were not harassed. No harassment whatsoever. They were not intimidated,” he stated.
He explained that armed mobile police officers are permanently stationed at the commission’s headquarters as part of normal security arrangements.
“Usually, you know that we have a detachment of mobile policemen at the gate all the time.
‘:Sometimes you see their trucks parked there. Those are the things they saw that they said we brought three trailers of police,” Odey added.
The ICPC spokesman maintained that the commission would continue to strictly comply with the court order regulating access to the former governor.
“We will not allow them. The court was specific, stating that the persons allowed are his immediate family, his lawyers, and his doctors. Anybody outside that category, we do not have the authority of the court to grant access,” he said.
Odey also stressed that the anti-corruption agency remained neutral and was only carrying out its legal responsibilities.
“We are apolitical. We did not bring police officers to intimidate them. The police officers have always been there,” he said.
The ADC had earlier accused the ICPC of obstructing access to El-Rufai after some of the party’s top officials were prevented from meeting him at the commission’s Abuja headquarters.
In a statement issued by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC alleged that the deployment of armed security personnel during the visit amounted to intimidation directed at opposition figures.
The party said it had written to the ICPC Chairman, Musa Aliyu, seeking visitation rights amid concerns over El-Rufai’s condition and well-being while in custody.
