The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has dismissed a security officer accused of helping Aichatou Assabe El-Rufai, wife of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, gain unauthorised access to her husband while he was in the commission’s custody.
The officer, identified as Daniel Stephen and attached to the ICPC’s internal security team, was reportedly captured on CCTV assisting Mrs El-Rufai to enter the commission’s premises on July 5, 2026, outside the approved visitor access procedure. (Vanguard News)
According to a report by Vanguard, Stephen admitted his involvement in a handwritten statement submitted to an investigation panel set up to examine the incident.
He reportedly acknowledged that he helped Mrs El-Rufai enter the premises “through the back door”, driving her into the facility before taking her through the rear entrance and escorting her upstairs to the section where the former governor was being held.
Stephen reportedly stated that he switched off the light before they entered the room. During the approximately 15-minute visit, Mrs El-Rufai was said to have handed a document to her husband, collected a black purse and discussed a court matter with him in Hausa.
After the meeting, Stephen allegedly escorted her out through the same back entrance.
The officer was also reported to have acknowledged that the visit violated the commission’s established security procedures, which require visitors’ details to be recorded at the gate and clearance obtained from the head of the security unit.
In his statement, Stephen reportedly accepted responsibility for the breach, writing that he was wrong to have violated the commission’s procedures.
The incident highlights the security protocols surrounding access to persons held by law enforcement agencies, particularly where high-profile detainees are involved.
El-Rufai has been in ICPC custody since February 19 over allegations bordering on money laundering and conversion of public property. He has denied the allegations.
The latest development follows previous tensions surrounding attempts by members of the former governor’s family to gain access to him while in custody.
