The officer, identified as Daniel Stephen and attached to the ICPC’s internal security team, was reportedly captured on CCTV assisting Assabe to enter the commission’s premises on July 5, 2026, outside the approved visitor access procedure.
According to TheCable, Stephen admitted his involvement in a handwritten statement submitted to an investigation panel set up by the commission.
In the statement, he acknowledged helping El-Rufai’s wife gain access to her husband “through the back door”.
Stephen reportedly drove Assabe into the commission’s premises, took her through the rear entrance and escorted her upstairs to the section where El-Rufai was being held.
An ICPC officer quoted in the report said Stephen’s statement indicated that he switched off the light at one point before accompanying Assabe into the room where the former governor was being detained.
“Mrs El-Rufai handed her husband a document, picked up a black purse and spoke with him in Hausa about a court matter. The visit lasted about 15 minutes,” the officer reportedly said.
Stephen allegedly took Assabe out through the same back entrance after the meeting and drove her away from the premises.
The security officer reportedly told the investigation panel that he was aware the visit had not followed the commission’s established security procedures.
He explained that visitors were required to have their details recorded at the gate and obtain clearance from the head of the security unit before being granted access to the facility.
Stephen also acknowledged that his conduct amounted to a breach of the commission’s rules.
“I agree that I am wrong and breached commission procedure,” he reportedly wrote, adding that the statement was made voluntarily and without coercion or duress.
ICPC insiders further alleged that Stephen’s involvement with Assabe may have extended beyond the July 5 incident.
According to the report, the officer recounted an earlier occasion when he allegedly helped escort Assabe further into the facility while officials were still verifying her identity.
He also reportedly told investigators that he was later approached by a man who identified himself as El-Rufai’s blood brother, whom he also allegedly assisted in gaining access to the facility through the back entrance.
El-Rufai has been in ICPC custody since February 19, following his release by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The former governor is facing allegations bordering on money laundering and conversion of public property, charges he has denied.
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