Aichatou El-Rufai, spouse of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, has initiated legal proceedings against the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), seeking substantial monetary compensation for alleged defamatory statements.
Her legal team has served a pre-action notice to the ICPC chairman, demanding N2 billion in damages. This action stems from a press release titled “Clarification on the Access Control Protocol at ICPC Headquarters, Abuja,” issued by the commission on May 18, 2026, and attributed to spokesperson Okor Odey.
According to the notice, Mrs. El-Rufai’s lawyers contend that multiple assertions in the statement are inaccurate and have severely tarnished her public image. They specifically take issue with the characterization of her as “a woman who identified herself as the wife of a defendant,” arguing that this phrasing casts doubt on the legitimacy of her marital status.
Furthermore, the legal representatives argue that the commission’s description of her earlier statements as “false and misleading” has unfairly portrayed her as deceitful, thereby damaging her credibility. They also reject allegations that she violated visitation protocols at ICPC headquarters, claiming such accusations unfairly paint her as disregarding official procedures.
The notice further highlights that certain sections of the press release insinuate Mrs. El-Rufai has been inconsistent in her claims regarding her husband’s alleged lack of access to food while in custody. Her lawyers assert that these comments undermine her trustworthiness and honesty, constituting a clear case of defamation.