ICPC Says It Has Not Received N2bn Defamation Notice from El‑Rufai’s Wife

Aichatou El‑Rufai’s legal team served the pre‑action notice after the ICPC released a press statement on 18 May 2026 titled 'Clarification on the Access Control Protocol at ICPC Headquarters, Abuja.' The statement, read aloud by ICPC spokesperson John Odey, described her as 'a woman who identified herself as the wife of a defendant' and labelled her earlier claims as false and misleading. Her lawyers argue those passages harmed her reputation and exposed her to ridicule across local and international media.

ICPC spokesperson John Odey told a Sunday PUNCH interview that he had not seen the notice but would verify its receipt on Monday and then respond. The notice itself demands N2 billion in general, aggravated and exemplary damages for the alleged harm to Aichatou’s reputation. It also calls for an immediate retraction, a public apology in at least three national newspapers, and a written undertaking that the commission will not repeat similar statements.

The ICPC’s acknowledgment that it has not yet received the notice leaves the legal timeline uncertain; the 14‑day compliance period stipulated by the lawyers has not started. Observers will watch whether the commission confirms receipt on Monday and how it chooses to address the demands, which could lead to a court case if the notice is deemed valid and the agency fails to comply.