Breaking: El-Rufai’s ₦1bn Case Against ICPC Gets June 17 Hearing Date
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The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed June 17 for the hearing of a ₦1 billion fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, against the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) over an alleged unlawful search of his Abuja residence.
El-Rufai, who governed Kaduna State from 2015 to 2023 and previously served as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory under former President Olusegun Obasanjo, is challenging the legality of the search warrant used by the ICPC to search his home.
In suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/345/2026, he is asking the court to declare the February 4 search warrant issued by a Chief Magistrate of the FCT Magistrate’s Court as invalid, null, and void.
He argued that the warrant was defective due to drafting errors, lack of clarity, overreach in its execution, and absence of probable cause, insisting that the search violated his constitutional rights.
El-Rufai maintained that the operation breached his rights to dignity, personal liberty, fair hearing, and privacy as guaranteed under the Constitution.
During the proceedings, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik granted his request to remove the Chief Magistrate of the FCT Magistrate’s Court from the list of defendants, following arguments by his counsel, Ugochukwu Nnakwu, that the suit did not specify the exact judicial officer responsible for issuing the warrant.
Lawyers representing the police, the Attorney-General of the Federation, and the ICPC did not oppose the application, leading the court to strike out the magistrate’s name.
However, counsel to the ICPC, Abdul Mohammed (SAN), objected to the development, arguing that removing the magistrate weakened the basis of the suit since the claims centered on the search warrant.
The court dismissed the objection, allowing the ICPC to file its response and defend its position.
In his suit, El-Rufai is seeking ₦1 billion in damages for alleged unlawful search, seizure, and violation of his fundamental rights, as well as an order declaring any evidence obtained from the search inadmissible.
He is also asking the court to compel the ICPC and the Inspector-General of Police to return items seized from his residence, which reportedly include electronic devices such as phones, storage devices, flash drives, and a laptop.
The case has been adjourned until June 17 for further hearing.
