Aichatou El-Rufai, wife of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, has initiated legal action against the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), accusing the agency of defamation.
According to reports, Mrs El-Rufai, through her legal representatives, issued a pre-action notice to the chairman of the anti-graft agency, demanding ₦2 billion in damages over comments contained in a press statement released by the commission on May 18, 2026.
The statement, titled “Clarification on the Access Control Protocol at ICPC Headquarters, Abuja,” was signed by the commission’s spokesperson, J. Okor Odey. Her lawyers argued that several parts of the publication damaged her reputation and subjected her to public ridicule and embarrassment.
The legal team specifically faulted the section where the commission referred to her as a woman who “identified herself as the wife of a defendant,” insisting that the wording cast doubt on her status as the lawful wife of the former governor.
They also objected to claims by the commission that her earlier comments were false and misleading, arguing that such statements portrayed her as dishonest in the eyes of the public.
In addition, her lawyers rejected allegations that she violated visitation protocols at the ICPC headquarters in Abuja, stating that the accusation painted her as someone unwilling to respect official procedures.
The notice further challenged the commission’s claim that Mrs El-Rufai contradicted herself regarding allegations that her husband was denied food while in custody. According to her lawyers, the statement unfairly attacked her integrity and credibility.
They also condemned suggestions that her actions were aimed at attracting media attention or bypassing official procedures, describing the remarks as malicious and damaging.
The legal team maintained that the publication received widespread circulation across local and international media platforms, allegedly causing reputational harm, embarrassment and public ridicule to Mrs El-Rufai.
Her lawyers described her as a respected individual with an unblemished public image and accused the anti-corruption agency of using its official platform to malign a private citizen.
Among the demands made in the notice, the lawyers requested an immediate withdrawal of the statements and a public apology to Mrs El-Rufai in at least three national newspapers. They also asked that the apology be published across the commission’s digital and social media channels.
The legal team is further seeking ₦2 billion as general, aggravated and exemplary damages for the alleged reputational damage caused by the publication.
They also requested a written undertaking from the commission assuring that similar statements would not be made against Mrs El-Rufai in the future.
The notice gave the ICPC 14 days to comply with the demands, warning that legal proceedings would commence if the commission failed to respond within the stipulated period.
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