ICPC Sacks Security Officer For Sneaking El-Rufai’s Wife Into Facility

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has reportedly dismissed a member of its internal security team for granting one of the wives of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, unauthorised access to him while in custody.

The officer, identified as Daniel Stephen, was accused of helping Aichatou Assabe el-Rufai bypass the Commission’s established visitor procedure to meet her husband.

According to The Cable, insiders at the anti-graft agency said CCTV footage captured Stephen assisting Aichatou into the Commission’s premises outside the approved access procedure.

A handwritten statement reportedly submitted by Stephen to an investigation panel indicated that the incident occurred on Sunday, July 5, 2026.

El-Rufai is facing trial over alleged money laundering and conversion of public property.

The former governor has been in the custody of the ICPC since February 19, after he was released by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

In the statement submitted to an investigation panel, Stephen, who was attached to the commission’s internal security team, admitted that he assisted el-Rufai’s wife in gaining access to her husband “through the back door”.

Sources in the ICPC said the security officer drove El-Rufai’s wife into the commission’s premises, used a rear entrance and escorted her upstairs to the section where her husband was being held.

A source said: “At one point, according to his handwritten account, he turned off the light before they went into the room where el-Rufai was.

“Mrs el-Rufai handed her husband a document, picked up a black purse and spoke with him in Hausa about a court matter. The visit lasted about 15 minutes.

“Stephen said he then took her out through the same back entrance and drove her out of the commission’s premises.”

Stephen, in a statement, admitted that the visit did not follow the commission’s established security procedure.

He said visitors to the ICPC premises were required to have their details recorded at the gate and obtain clearance from the head of the security unit before being granted access.

Stephen also admitted that his actions breached the commission’s rules.

“I agree that I am wrong and breached commission procedure,” he wrote, adding that he made the statement voluntarily and without coercion or duress.

Sources said the security officer’s handwritten account indicates that his involvement with el-Rufai’s wife went beyond a single incident of granting her unauthorised access.

According to sources, the officer described an earlier encounter in which he helped escort her further into the facility while her identity was being confirmed.

He said that after helping the woman, he was approached by a man who claimed to be El-Rufai’s blood brother.

According to him, he also agreed to help the man and took him in through the back.