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By Oscar Okhifo
Family of embattled former governor of Kaduna State Nasir Elrufai has dismissed as false the ICPC’s claim that phone-tapping devices were seized from his residence, calling the allegations politically motivated and misleading.
On Monday, Mohammed Bello El-Rufai, son of the former governor and Kaduna North lawmaker, described the ICPC’s claims as “fiction” and “misinformation,” accusing the agency of turning the investigation into a media spectacle.
“Charge me if you have anything against me,” the statement quoted the former governor, who is currently in ICPC custody under a remand order.
“Investigators have had more than two years to build a case, yet this circus continues.”
The family insisted that no high-tech interception devices were found during the search of the Aso Drive property.
“Only ordinary items such as old mobile phones, laptops, and flash drives were seized” Bello said.
Mrs. Hadiza Isma El-Rufai, the former governor’s wife, added that the search warrant may have been defective, and their legal team has challenged it in court.
The ICPC maintains that it acted within the law under a remand order from a Magistrate Court in Bwari, recovering devices allegedly capable of intercepting communications, along with documents linked to government operations.
Mr. El-Rufai’s detention is part of wider federal investigations involving the EFCC and DSS, and he faces separate cybercrime and communications law allegations related to an alleged phone interception involving the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
The case continues to attract intense public and legal scrutiny, with observers monitoring developments for their potential impact on governance and national security.