The Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday granted the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) permission to access and analyse electronic devices recovered from the residence of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai.
The order was issued by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik after the court considered an ex-parte motion filed by the commission through its counsel, Osuobeni Akponimisingha.
While moving the motion, Akponimisingha asked the court to allow the commission to examine and analyse the contents of the devices.
He said the request was necessary to enable inspection, forensic examination and forensic extraction of data as part of the commission’s ongoing investigation involving the former governor.
PlatinumPost reports that about 14 sets of electronic devices were recovered by operatives of the commission during a search conducted at the Abuja residence of the ex-governor.
Items recovered include a Sony HD-EGS storage device, a ITB transcend storage device, Toshiba storage device, Samsung mobile phone, Nokia mobile phone – N958GB, Blackberry mobile phone device and a Google IDEOS phone.
Others are a Samsung storage device-SPO802N, Remarkable tablet, Apple MacBook Pro – black, Seagate Freeagent desk external drive, ZTE mobile phone, 10 pieces of flash drives and Microcell memory card.
The ex-parte motion is marked FHC/ABJ/CS/499/2026 in the suit between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai.
Recall that El-Rufai has already approached the same court to challenge the search carried out at his residence and is seeking, among other reliefs, N1 billion compensation.
In the fundamental rights enforcement suit, the former governor listed the ICPC, the Chief Magistrate at the Magistrate’s Court of the FCT, Abuja; the Inspector-General (I-G) of Police and the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) as 1st to 4th respondents respectively.
Through his originating motion on notice marked FHC/ABJ/CS/345/2026, dated and filed on Feb. 20 by Oluwole Iyamu, SAN, the applicant sought seven reliefs.
He asked the court to declare that the invasion and search of his residence at House 12, Mambilla Street, Aso Drive, Abuja, on Feb. 19 at about 2pm by the and ICPC and I-G, amounts to a gross violation of the applicant’s fundamental rights .
He said that it was a violation to dignity of the human person, personal liberty, fair hearing, and privacy under Sections 34, 35, 36, and 37 of the Constitution.”
He urged the court to declare that “any evidence obtained pursuant to the aforesaid invalid warrant and unlawful search is inadmissible in any proceedings against the applicant, as it was procured in breach of constitutional safeguards.”
El-Rufai therefore asked for an order of injunction restraining the respondents and their agents from relying on, using, or presenting any evidence or items obtained during the alleged unlawful search in any investigation, prosecution or proceedings involving him.
He also requested an order directing the Ist and 3rd respondents (ICPC and I-G) to immediately return all items seized from his premises during the search, along with a detailed inventory of the items.
In addition, he asked the court to award N1,000,000,000.00 (One Billion Naira) as general, exemplary and aggravated damages, among other reliefs.
However, in its counter-affidavit, the ICPC said it had received a petition against El-Rufai and commenced an investigation based on the petition, which led to the search of his residence.
The commission maintained that its operatives acted on a valid search warrant issued on Feb. 18 and executed on Feb. 19 between 1:37pm and 3:56pm at 12 Mambilla Street, Asokoro, Abuja.
It further stated that its officials were accompanied by personnel of the Nigeria Police Force and that the exercise was witnessed by El-Rufai’s wife, Hadiza El-Rufai, and his son, Mohammed El-Rufai.
The ICPC urged the court to dismiss the suit and listed the items allegedly recovered from the residence.
Similarly, the police, in a counter-affidavit sworn to by Insp Ewa Anthony, argued that it has the statutory authority to detect, arrest, investigate and prosecute offenders.
The police maintained that the search carried out at El-Rufai’s residence was conducted based on a search warrant issued by a competent court of law.
It rejected the former governor’s claim that the warrant was invalid, insisting that it was a lawful court order.
According to the police, officers involved in the operation complied with all legal procedures required for the execution of the search warrant.
The police further argued that the applicant is attempting to use the court to shield himself from ongoing security investigation and prosecution.
It therefore urged the court to dismiss the suit in its entirety.
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