Aichatou El-Rufai, wife of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has taken legal action against the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) over claims of defamation.
PrimeTimes Nigeria reports that through her lawyers, Mrs El-Rufai sent a pre-action notice to the chairman of the anti-corruption agency, demanding ₦2 billion in damages over statements made in a press release issued by the commission on May 18, 2026.
The statement, titled “Clarification on the Access Control Protocol at ICPC Headquarters, Abuja,” was presented by the commission’s spokesperson, J. Okor Odey. According to her legal team, parts of the publication damaged her reputation and exposed her to public embarrassment.
Her lawyers objected to the section where the commission described her as a woman who identified herself as the wife of a defendant. They argued that the wording created doubt about her status as the lawful wife of the former governor.
The legal team also said the commission wrongly described her earlier statements as false and misleading, a move they believe painted her as dishonest before the public.
They further rejected allegations that she breached visitation procedures at the ICPC headquarters in Abuja. According to the lawyers, the accusation portrayed her as someone who disrespects official rules and procedures.
The notice also faulted claims that Mrs El-Rufai contradicted herself over reports that her husband was denied food while in custody. Her lawyers maintained that such remarks attacked her integrity and weakened her public image.
They also accused the commission of presenting her actions as an attempt to attract media attention and avoid official procedures. The legal team described the suggestion as unfair and damaging.
According to the notice, the publication circulated widely across local and foreign media platforms, leading to ridicule, embarrassment and injury to Mrs El-Rufai’s reputation.
Her lawyers described her as a woman with a clean public record and accused the agency of using its official platform against a private citizen.
As part of the demands, the legal team asked the commission to withdraw the statements and publish an apology to Mrs El-Rufai in at least three national newspapers. They also requested that the apology be shared on the agency’s digital and social media platforms.
The lawyers are also seeking ₦2 billion as general, aggravated and exemplary damages over the alleged harm caused by the publication.
In addition, they requested a written assurance from the commission that similar statements would not be made against Mrs El-Rufai again.
The notice gave the ICPC 14 days to meet the demands, warning that legal action would begin if the commission failed to respond within the period.