ICPC Fires Security Officer Over Alleged ‘Backdoor’ Visit To El-Rufai In Custody
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has reportedly dismissed a member of its internal security team for allegedly allowing Aichatou Assabe el-Rufai, one of the wives of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, to gain unauthorised access to her husband while he was in custody.
The security officer, identified as Daniel Stephen, was accused of bypassing the commission’s established visitor screening and clearance procedures to facilitate the visit.
According to a report by TheCable, CCTV footage allegedly captured Stephen assisting Aichatou into the ICPC premises through a route outside the approved access procedure.
Stephen reportedly admitted his involvement in a handwritten statement submitted to an investigative panel, stating that the incident occurred on Sunday, July 5, 2026.
Sources cited in the report said Stephen drove El-Rufai’s wife into the commission’s premises through a rear entrance and escorted her upstairs to the section where the former governor was being held.
The visit allegedly lasted about 15 minutes. During the meeting, Aichatou reportedly handed El-Rufai a document, picked up a black purse and discussed a court-related matter with him in Hausa.
Stephen allegedly admitted that he subsequently escorted her out through the same rear entrance and drove her away from the premises.
In his statement, the security officer reportedly acknowledged that the visit did not comply with ICPC procedures, which require visitors to have their details recorded at the gate and obtain clearance from the head of the security unit before gaining access.
“I agree that I am wrong and breached commission procedure,” Stephen reportedly wrote, adding that his statement was made voluntarily and without coercion.
Sources further alleged that Stephen’s involvement was not limited to the July 5 incident.
According to the report, the officer disclosed that he had previously assisted El-Rufai’s wife further into the facility while her identity was being verified.
He also reportedly told investigators that a man who claimed to be El-Rufai’s blood brother later approached him, after which he agreed to facilitate the man’s entry through the rear entrance.
El-Rufai is currently facing trial over allegations bordering on money laundering and the conversion of public property.
The former governor has reportedly been in ICPC custody since February 19, following his release from the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The reported dismissal of the security officer comes amid heightened scrutiny of security and visitation procedures surrounding the detention of the former governor.
