Precious Nwonu, Enugu
The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed December 2, 2026, for judgment in a ₦1bn fundamental rights suit filed by former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, against the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and two other respondents.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik set the date on Tuesday after lawyers representing the parties adopted their court processes and presented their arguments.
El-Rufai’s lawyer, Ubong Akpan, was initially absent when the case was called. The judge subsequently deemed the former governor’s filed processes adopted before Akpan arrived and apologised for his lateness.
Counsel to the ICPC, Abdul Mohammed (SAN), the Inspector-General of Police’s representative, ACP Ezekiel Rimamsomte, and the Director of Civil Litigation and Public Law, Maimuna Lami-Shiru, who represented the Attorney-General of the Federation, urged the court to dismiss the suit.
El-Rufai is seeking ₦1bn in general, exemplary and aggravated damages over what he described as a violation of his fundamental rights during a search of his Abuja residence in February.
The former governor asked the court to declare that the search of his home at 12 Mambilla Street, Aso Drive, Abuja, violated his rights to dignity, personal liberty, fair hearing and privacy under Sections 34, 35, 36 and 37 of the Nigerian Constitution.
He also sought an order compelling the ICPC and the police to return items seized from his residence and provide a detailed inventory of the recovered property.
In its response, the ICPC said it initiated an investigation after receiving a petition against El-Rufai. The commission maintained that its operatives conducted the search under a valid warrant issued on February 18 and executed the following day.
According to the commission, the operation took place between 1:37 p.m. and 3:56 p.m. at the former governor’s residence and was conducted alongside police personnel. It added that El-Rufai’s wife, Hadiza, and son, Mohammed, witnessed the exercise.
The Inspector-General of Police also defended the operation, arguing that it was carried out under a valid court-issued warrant. The police further maintained that they had the statutory authority to detect, arrest, investigate and prosecute offenders.
The Attorney-General of the Federation, in his response, argued that the ICPC and police acted within their lawful responsibilities and that the seized items were needed to complete the investigation.
He also urged the court to dismiss the case, describing it as an abuse of court process because El-Rufai had two other pending suits concerning the same subject matter before the FCT High Court.
Justice Abdulmalik adjourned the matter until December 2 for judgment.