The family of former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has dismissed allegations by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) that electronic phone-tapping equipment was recovered from his Abuja residence, describing the claims as fabricated and politically driven.
In a statement issued on March 2, 2026, and signed by Hon. Mohammed Bello El-Rufai, the lawmaker representing Kaduna North Federal Constituency, the family accused the commission of conducting a “media war” rather than adhering to due process.
Central to the family’s response was El-Rufai’s insistence on his constitutional right to remain silent. Quoting the former governor, the statement read: “CHARGE ME, IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING AGAINST ME. YOU HAVE HAD MORE THAN 2 YEARS TO INVESTIGATE ME. TAKE ME TO COURT PLEASE.”
The family argued that the ICPC’s claim that El-Rufai “refused to cooperate” was an attempt to criminalise a fundamental constitutional safeguard. “The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria guarantees every citizen the right to remain silent. This is not an act of non-cooperation; it is a fundamental human right,” the statement said, adding that no negative inference should be drawn from his decision to exercise that right.
Addressing the alleged recovery of surveillance equipment, the family described the commission’s list of seized items as fictitious. “WE WERE PRESENT WHEN THESE ITEMS WERE SEIZED,” the statement asserted. “No equipment other than old discarded personal mobile phones… storage devices like flash drives and laptops… were seized from the property.” It added that the supposed “sophisticated tapping equipment” and “sensitive security documents” exist only “in the fevered imagination of the ICPC and its press team.”
The family also questioned the legality of the search itself, alleging that the warrant used to access the property was defective and fraudulently obtained. They described the foundation of the investigation as “rotten,” claiming that a magistrate improperly issued the warrant under questionable jurisdiction. According to them, their legal team has already challenged the warrant in court.
In his sworn position, El-Rufai maintained that the investigation is politically motivated. He stated that he would only respond to allegations before a court of law, insisting that he would not be “tried in the court of public opinion.”
The statement concluded with a vow to pursue all legal remedies available, expressing confidence that the judiciary would “see through this shameful charade and uphold the rights of our family against this executive overreach.”
