‘ICPC fabricated evidence, no spy gear found in our home’- El-Rufai’s son

By Tolulope Oke

The family of former Kaduna State governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, has vehemently rejected allegations by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) that sophisticated phone tapping equipment was found in his possession.

In a statement released on Monday, El-Rufai’s son, Hon. Mohammed Bello El-Rufai, representing Kaduna North in the House of Representatives, described the claims as “phantom” and “fictional,” insisting that only ordinary personal items such as old mobile phones, flash drives, and laptops were seized during a recent ICPC operation.

The family accused the ICPC of relying on a forged search warrant, alleging that a magistrate fraudulently pretended to act on behalf of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory. “An illegality of this magnitude, a forgery at the very inception of a state-sponsored search—renders everything that follows void and inadmissible,” the statement said. The family has instructed its legal team to challenge the warrant and the ICPC’s assertions in court.

Defending Mallam El-Rufai’s constitutional rights, the statement argued that the ICPC misrepresented his decision to remain silent, claiming that silence does not equal non-cooperation or guilt. “We must educate the Commission on the most basic tenet of Nigerian jurisprudence: the Constitution guarantees every citizen the right to remain silent. This is not an act of non-cooperation; it is a fundamental human right,” the release said.

The statement also criticized the ICPC’s credibility, calling the commission’s press release “a circus of chicanery” and accusing it of manufacturing evidence to justify its existence. The family further claimed that the list of seized items presented by ICPC was “a work of fiction” designed to create the impression of espionage and criminality.

The family challenged the ICPC to take formal legal action, stating: “Our father has said in all interactions with law enforcement: ‘CHARGE ME, IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING AGAINST ME. YOU HAVE HAD MORE THAN TWO YEARS TO INVESTIGATE ME. TAKE ME TO COURT PLEASE.’”

The El-Rufai family concluded by urging Nigerians to pray for peace, particularly during the Ramadan period, while affirming their faith in the judiciary to uphold their rights against what they described as “executive overreach” and a politically motivated smear campaign