El-Rufai’s wife petitions ICPC chairman, demands N2bn for alleged false claims

Aichatou El-Rufai, wife of detained former Kaduna State governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, has issued a pre-action notice against the chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), demanding N2 billion in damages over statements she claims tarnished her image and reputation.

The legal notice, filed through her lawyers, challenges a press statement released by the commission on May 18, 2026, titled “Clarification on the Access Control Protocol at ICPC Headquarters, Abuja.” The statement was reportedly read by ICPC spokesperson J. Okor Odey.

According to her legal team, the commission’s reference to her as “a woman who identified herself as the wife of a defendant” was defamatory and appeared to cast doubt on her status as the lawful wife of the former governor. They argued that the wording subjected her to public embarrassment and ridicule.

The lawyers further maintained that the ICPC’s description of her allegations as “false and misleading” portrayed her as dishonest and manipulative in the eyes of the public.

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They also faulted claims that she violated visitation procedures at the commission’s headquarters, arguing that such remarks painted her as someone who disregards institutional regulations.

The notice also took issue with aspects of the statement suggesting inconsistencies in her claims that her husband was denied food while in detention. Her legal representatives argued that those remarks undermined her integrity and credibility before both local and international audiences.

In addition, the lawyers described as malicious an alleged implication by the commission that Mrs El-Rufai deliberately staged a media spectacle in an attempt to bypass official protocols at the anti-corruption agency’s Abuja headquarters.

The legal team stated that the publication had gained widespread circulation across Nigeria and beyond, allegedly causing significant reputational harm to Mrs El-Rufai, whom they described as a woman of “unblemished character.”

As part of the demands outlined in the pre-action notice, Mrs El-Rufai is seeking an immediate retraction of the disputed statements and a public apology to be published in at least three national newspapers and on all official digital platforms operated by the commission.

She is also demanding N2 billion in general, aggravated, and exemplary damages, alongside a written assurance from the ICPC that no further statements of a similar nature would be issued against her.