Mallam Nasir El-Rufai has alleged that officials of the ICPC attempted to compel him to withdraw from political activities as a condition for his release from detention, according to details contained in a 30 pager criminal complaint he filed before a court.
In the complaint against the ICPC chairman, Musa Adamu Aliyu, and four other officials, El-Rufai claimed that officers of the anti-corruption agency informed him that he would only regain his freedom if he stopped participating in politics.
According to the filing, the allegation appears in Paragraph 12 of the criminal complaint, where the former governor stated that during his detention, ICPC officers allegedly acting on the authority of the commission’s chairman told him his release was conditional on ceasing all political activities. He argued that such a demand amounted to an attempt to force him to abandon his constitutional rights.
The claim is further detailed in the affidavit in support, particularly in Paragraphs 22 to 24, where El-Rufai’s counsel stated that the former governor was repeatedly told that continued political activity would prolong his detention and that only a commitment to withdraw from politics would secure his release.
The allegation forms the basis of Count Six in the complaint, which accuses the officials of wrongful confinement with intent to compel, an offence cited under Sections 264 and 267 of the Penal Code.
El-Rufai is asking the court to examine the conduct of the ICPC officials, arguing that the alleged actions represent an abuse of office and an unlawful attempt to restrict his participation in the political process.
The ICPC has not yet publicly responded to the claims contained in the court filing.
