Dare Babalola
Bashir El-Rufai, son of former Kaduna State governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, has disclosed that his father remains in good health and high spirits despite the ongoing controversy surrounding his detention and legal troubles with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC.
In a post shared on Monday via X, Bashir said the former governor was maintaining a calm disposition despite what he described as “injustice” surrounding the situation.
“For those wondering, because I am constantly asked, Mallam is in good health, his spirit is high,” Bashir wrote.
He explained that during his recent visit to his father, he was struck by the former governor’s composure and intellectual focus even while in detention.
“The last time I visited days ago, I totally forgot where we were as he still remains calm and witty in the midst of all the injustice, surrounded by his mountain of books and legal briefs from his lawyers,” he stated.
According to him, it is members of the family and the legal team who are more troubled by the situation, while the former governor appears unusually confident and focused.
“Man is moving like he knows something we all don’t regarding the situation and future. It is unsettling how one can be this level-headed and focused,” Bashir added, ending the post with the hashtag “#FreeMallam.”
The latest comments come amid mounting legal tension between the El-Rufai family and the ICPC over the agency’s handling of the former governor’s detention.
Last week, Aichatou El-Rufai, wife of the former governor, issued a pre-action notice against the ICPC chairman, demanding N2 billion in damages over alleged defamatory statements made by the anti-corruption agency.
The notice, filed through her lawyers, followed an ICPC press release titled “Clarification on the Access Control Protocol at ICPC Headquarters, Abuja,” which was published on May 18, 2026.
In the legal notice, Mrs El-Rufai accused the commission of publishing false and damaging statements about her, particularly in relation to her visit to the agency’s headquarters during her husband’s detention.
Her legal team faulted the commission for describing her as “a woman who identified herself as the wife of a defendant,” arguing that the wording cast doubt on her status as the lawful wife of the former governor.
The lawyers further maintained that the ICPC’s description of her claims as “false and misleading” portrayed her as dishonest and deceptive in the eyes of the public.
They also challenged allegations that she violated visitation protocols at the commission’s headquarters, insisting the claims unfairly painted her as someone unwilling to comply with official procedures.
In addition, the legal team rejected suggestions by the commission that Mrs El-Rufai had made conflicting claims regarding whether her husband was denied food while in custody, arguing that such remarks undermined her credibility and integrity.
The controversy has continued to generate reactions on social media and within political circles, with supporters of the former governor demanding his release and questioning the circumstances surrounding his detention.
