Court adjourns El-Rufai’s N1bn rights suit against ICPC, others to March 25

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday adjourned the N1 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) and four others until March 25.

 

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik adjourned the matter to allow parties in the case to regularise their court processes.

 

El-Rufai is seeking N1 billion in damages in the suit filed against the ICPC, the Chief Magistrate of the Magistrate Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the Inspector-General of Police, and the Attorney-General of the Federation, listed as the first to fourth respondents respectively.

 

At the hearing, Ubong Akpan, counsel to the former governor, informed the court that the matter had been scheduled for hearing.

 

However, he explained that the applicant had just responded to the ICPC’s counter-affidavit but had yet to file a response to the submission of the Inspector-General of Police.

 

Counsel to the ICPC, Abdulsufiano Abubakar, and the police lawyer, Ezekiel Rimamsomte, confirmed the development.

 

Following the submissions, Justice Abdulmalik adjourned the case to March 25 for hearing.

 

The court also directed that hearing notices be issued and served on the Chief Magistrate and the Attorney-General of the Federation, who were not represented in court.

 

In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/345/2026, filed on February 20 by Oluwole Iyamu (SAN) on behalf of El-Rufai, the former governor is seeking seven reliefs from the court.

 

He asked the court to declare that the search of his residence at House 12, Mambilla Street, Aso Drive, Abuja, on February 19 by operatives of the ICPC and the police violated his fundamental rights.

 

According to him, the action breached his constitutional rights to dignity of the human person, personal liberty, fair hearing, and privacy as guaranteed under Sections 34, 35, 36, and 37 of the 1999 Constitution.

 

El-Rufai also urged the court to rule that any evidence obtained during the search is inadmissible, arguing that the warrant used for the operation was invalid.

 

He further asked the court to issue an order restraining the respondents from relying on or tendering any items seized during the search in any investigation or prosecution involving him.

 

The former governor also requested that the court order the ICPC and the Inspector-General of Police to return all items allegedly seized from his residence, along with a detailed inventory.

 

In addition, he is seeking N1 billion as general, exemplary, and aggravated damages over the alleged violation of his fundamental rights.