Court rejects rights suit by El-Rufai co-defendant against ICPC

The Federal Capital Territory High Court in Jabi, Abuja, has dismissed a fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by Joel Adoga, a co-defendant of Nasir El-Rufai, former Governor of Kaduna State, ruling that the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission did not violate his constitutional rights during its investigation.

The judgment represents a legal victory for the ICPC, which is prosecuting Adoga alongside El-Rufai before the Federal High Court in Kaduna over alleged corruption and money laundering-related offences involving Kaduna State funds.

Adoga had instituted the suit marked CV/1012/2026, alleging that the anti-corruption agency unlawfully detained him, denied him access to his family and legal representatives, and coerced him into making statements during its investigation.

He asked the court to declare that his fundamental rights had been breached, sought an order of habeas corpus, damages, and injunctions restraining the ICPC from further investigating, detaining, or prosecuting him in connection with the matter.

However, in a statement issued on Sunday by John Odey, its Head of Media and Public Communications, the ICPC said the court found no merit in Adoga’s claims and upheld the commission’s conduct throughout the investigation.

According to the commission, it filed a joint counter-affidavit denying allegations of unlawful arrest, detention, intimidation, coercion, inhuman treatment, or denial of access to family members and lawyers.

The ICPC maintained that Adoga was lawfully invited for questioning following a petition and reasonable suspicion linking him to alleged corrupt practices and suspicious financial transactions involving the diversion of Kaduna State Government funds.

The commission further told the court that Adoga was granted administrative bail during the investigation and that any subsequent detention was based on a valid remand order issued by a competent court.

It added that after concluding its investigation, it charged Adoga before the Federal High Court in Kaduna, where he was arraigned and granted bail.

According to the ICPC, any continued detention after his arraignment resulted from his inability to meet the bail conditions imposed by the trial court rather than any unlawful action by the commission.

The anti-graft agency also rejected claims that Adoga was denied access to his family or legal representatives, insisting that all statements obtained from him were made voluntarily, under caution, and in the presence of his chosen legal counsel.

Delivering judgment, Mohammed Idris (Justice) held that Adoga failed to establish any violation of his fundamental rights by the commission.

The court consequently dismissed the suit in its entirety and affirmed that the ICPC acted within the confines of the law during its investigation.

Adoga is currently standing trial alongside El-Rufai on a 10-count charge before the Federal High Court in Kaduna.

The ICPC alleges that between 2016 and 2023, the former Kaduna governor received multiple deposits in United States dollars through his domiciliary account with Guaranty Trust Bank, including $320,800 allegedly paid in tranches by Adoga, as well as additional deposits of $155,800, $305,300 and several other sums from different individuals, which investigators suspect to be proceeds of unlawful activities.

The commission also accuses Adoga of conspiring with El-Rufai in July 2019 to conceal the origin of a $10,000 deposit made into the account.

ICPC said the ruling reaffirmed its commitment to conducting investigations and prosecutions in line with due process and the rule of law while respecting the constitutional rights of all persons.