Muyiwa Adekeye, spokesperson to former Kaduna State governor, Nasir el-Rufai, has alleged that his principal experienced an overnight nosebleed while being held by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The New Daily Prime reported on Monday that the former governor filed a separate suit against the ICPC, accusing the agency of unlawfully invading his Abuja residence.
In a statement released late Monday, Adekeye also claimed that the commission barred el-Rufai’s wife from handing his meal to him directly on February 17.
El-Rufai had honoured an invitation by presenting himself at the EFCC headquarters on February 16. Two days later, on February 18, he was taken into custody by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) after being released by the EFCC.
Both anti-graft agencies are investigating alleged financial misconduct during his tenure as Kaduna governor from 2015 to 2023. In 2024, the Kaduna State House of Assembly accused him of diverting N423 billion in public funds and engaging in money laundering, urging security agencies to probe the allegations.
Adekeye said the former governor’s lawyers have not been presented with any remand warrant authorising his detention beyond 48 hours without formal charges. He added that family members and legal representatives are “having difficulties in securing access to him in detention”.
“One of his wives was not allowed to deliver his meal directly to him on the evening of 17th February, but was asked to pass it to him through one of the commission’s personnel. His lawyers have reported that he suffered an overnight episode of bleeding from his nose,” the statement reads.
He further disclosed that the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court is scheduled to hear el-Rufai’s fundamental rights enforcement suit on Wednesday. The suit lists the federal government, the ICPC, the EFCC and the Department of State Services (DSS) as respondents.
El-Rufai, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), is also expected to be arraigned this week over allegations that he intercepted a telephone conversation involving Nuhu Ribadu, the National Security Adviser.
