El-Rufai files ₦1bn suit against ICPC over Abuja home raid

Former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has instituted a ₦1 billion fundamental rights enforcement suit against the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) over the alleged unlawful invasion and search of his Abuja residence.

The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/345/2026, was filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja on February 20 through his counsel, Oluwole Iyamu (SAN). El-Rufai is challenging the validity of a search warrant reportedly issued on February 4 by a Chief Magistrate of the FCT Magistrates’ Court.

He is asking the court to declare the warrant authorising the search and seizure at his residence invalid, null and void, arguing that it lacked specificity, contained drafting errors and was executed without probable cause, thereby breaching Section 37 of the Constitution.

El-Rufai named the ICPC as the first respondent, while the Chief Magistrate of the FCT Magistrates’ Court, the Nigeria Police Force through the Inspector-General of Police, and the Federal Ministry of Justice Nigeria represented by the Attorney-General of the Federation were listed as second to fourth respondents.

In the application, the former governor claimed that operatives of the ICPC and police officers searched his residence on February 19 at about 2 p.m. under the disputed warrant, an action he said violated his rights to dignity, personal liberty, fair hearing and privacy.

He urged the court to rule that any evidence obtained during the search is inadmissible in any proceedings against him because it was secured in breach of constitutional safeguards.

He also asked for an order restraining the respondents from relying on items seized during the operation and directing that all seized materials be returned with a full inventory.

El-Rufai is seeking ₦1 billion as general, exemplary and aggravated damages for alleged trespass, unlawful seizure, psychological trauma and reputational harm.

The claim includes ₦300 million as compensatory damages, ₦400 million as exemplary damages and ₦300 million as aggravated damages, alongside ₦100 million as litigation costs.

His lawyer argued that the warrant contravened provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015 and the ICPC Act, citing lack of specific description of items to be seized, typographical errors and ambiguous execution terms.

An affidavit by Mohammed Shaba, a principal secretary to the former governor, alleged that officers seized personal documents and electronic devices during the operation and that none had been returned. He maintained that the suit was filed to enforce El-Rufai’s constitutional rights.