El-Rufai Sues ICPC, Seeks ₦1bn Over Alleged Unlawful Search of Residence

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

The suit, filed on February 20, 2026, before the Federal High Court in Abuja and marked FHC/ABJ/CS/345/2026, lists the ICPC as the 1st respondent. Others joined in the action are the Chief Magistrate of the Magistrate’s Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as the 2nd respondent, the Inspector General of Police as the 3rd respondent, and the Attorney-General of the Federation as the 4th respondent.

In the originating motion filed by his counsel, Oluwole Iyamu, SAN, El-Rufai alleged that operatives of the ICPC, accompanied by police officers, stormed his residence at House 12, Mambilla Street, Aso Drive, Abuja, on February 19, 2026, at about 2:00 p.m.

He contended that the search was conducted pursuant to a defective warrant allegedly issued on February 4, 2026, by the Chief Magistrate of the FCT Magistrate’s Court.

According to the application, the warrant is invalid and null due to multiple defects, including lack of specificity in describing items to be seized, typographical and material errors in the address, date and district details, as well as alleged ambiguity and overbreadth in its execution parameters. The former governor also argued that the warrant was issued without probable cause.

His legal team maintained that the alleged defects contravene provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, particularly Sections 143 to 148, as well as Section 36 of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission Act.
El-Rufai further claimed that the operation violated his fundamental rights guaranteed under Sections 34 (right to dignity of the human person), 35 (personal liberty), 36 (fair hearing), and 37 (right to privacy) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The suit alleged that during the operation, officers seized personal documents and electronic devices listed as Exhibit B in the supporting affidavit, without providing an inventory or returning the items. He said the materials have not been released.

Among the reliefs sought, El-Rufai is asking the court to declare the search warrant invalid and the invasion unlawful, affirm that his fundamental rights were breached, and order the immediate return of all seized items alongside a detailed inventory.

He is also seeking an injunction restraining the respondents from using any evidence obtained during the search, ₦300 million in compensatory damages, ₦400 million in exemplary damages, ₦300 million in aggravated damages bringing the total claim to ₦1 billion as well as ₦100 million in legal costs.

The former governor claimed that the incident caused him psychological trauma, humiliation, emotional distress and reputational damage.