Court adjourns El-Rufai’s N1bn suit against ICPC, others until March 25

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday adjourned the hearing of a N1 billion fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by Nasir El-Rufai, former governor of Kaduna State, against the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and four other respondents until March 25.

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik adjourned the matter to allow parties in the suit to regularise their court processes.

El-Rufai is seeking N1 billion in damages against the ICPC, the Chief Magistrate of the Magistrate’s Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the Inspector-General of Police, and the Attorney-General of the Federation.

At the hearing on Wednesday, Ubong Akpan, counsel to El-Rufai, informed the court that the case had been scheduled for hearing but that the applicant had only just filed a response to the ICPC’s counter-affidavit and had yet to respond to that of the police.

Lawyers representing the ICPC and the police, Abdulsufiano Abubakar and Ezekiel Rimamsomte, respectively, confirmed the submission.

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Following the development, the court adjourned the case until March 25 for hearing and ordered that hearing notices be issued and served on the second and fourth respondents — the Chief Magistrate and the Attorney-General of the Federation — who were not represented in court.

In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/345/2026, filed on February 20 by Oluwole Iyamu (SAN), the former governor is seeking seven reliefs from the court.

El-Rufai is asking the court to declare that the invasion and search of his residence at House 12, Mambilla Street, Aso Drive, Abuja, on February 19 by officials of the ICPC and the police violated his fundamental rights.

According to the applicant, the action breached his rights to the dignity of the human person, personal liberty, fair hearing and privacy, as guaranteed under Sections 34, 35, 36 and 37 of the 1999 Constitution.

He further asked the court to rule that any evidence obtained during the search is inadmissible in any proceedings against him, arguing that it was procured through an unlawful warrant and in violation of constitutional safeguards.

The former governor is also seeking an injunction restraining the respondents from relying on or tendering any items recovered during the search in any investigation or prosecution involving him.

In addition, he is requesting an order directing the ICPC and the Inspector-General of Police to return all items allegedly seized from his residence and provide a detailed inventory of the recovered materials.

However, in its counter-affidavit, the ICPC said the search followed a petition received against the former governor, which prompted an investigation.

The commission said its operatives acted under a valid search warrant issued on February 18 and executed the following day at El-Rufai’s residence in Asokoro, Abuja.

According to the agency, the operation took place between 1:37 p.m. and 3:56 p.m. and was conducted in the presence of El-Rufai’s wife, Hadiza El-Rufai, and his son, Mohammed El-Rufai.

The commission maintained that its officials were accompanied by personnel of the Nigeria Police Force and acted within the confines of the law. It urged the court to dismiss the suit.

The police, in a separate counter-affidavit deposed to by Inspector Ewa Anthony, also defended the operation, stating that it was carried out under a lawful search warrant issued by a competent court.

The force argued that its officers followed all legal procedures in executing the warrant and that the applicant was attempting to use the court to shield himself from an ongoing investigation.

The police therefore asked the court to dismiss the case in its entirety.