Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has filed a ₦1bn fundamental rights enforcement suit against the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), alleging that operatives unlawfully invaded his Abuja residence under a defective search warrant.
The suit, filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, challenges the legality of a warrant reportedly issued by a Chief Magistrate in the Federal Capital Territory and executed on February 19.
El-Rufai named the ICPC, the Chief Magistrate of the FCT Magistrate Court, the Inspector-General of Police, and the Attorney-General of the Federation as respondents.
Grounds of Challenge
According to court filings, El-Rufai argues that the search warrant lacked specificity and contained material drafting errors, ambiguous execution parameters, and overbroad directives.
His legal team contends that the warrant failed to meet requirements under Sections 143–148 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, which mandate reasonable grounds for suspicion and clear identification of items to be seized.
The suit also cites alleged violations of constitutional protections under Sections 34, 35, 36, and 37 of the 1999 Constitution, covering dignity, personal liberty, fair hearing, and privacy.
Damages Sought
El-Rufai is seeking:
- ₦300m in compensatory damages for alleged psychological trauma and distress
- ₦400m in exemplary damages to deter future misconduct
- ₦300m in aggravated damages
- ₦100m in litigation costs
He also seeks a court order declaring any evidence obtained during the search inadmissible in future proceedings.
Legal Implications
If the court finds the warrant defective, the ruling could affect the admissibility of evidence and reinforce procedural safeguards governing search and seizure operations by anti-corruption agencies.
Legal analysts note that fundamental rights enforcement suits are typically determined on procedural compliance rather than substantive allegations.
The case is expected to test judicial interpretation of search warrant standards under the ACJA framework.
Developing Process
The ICPC has not publicly responded to the suit at the time of filing.
The Federal High Court is expected to fix a date for hearing in the coming weeks.
The case adds another legal chapter to ongoing scrutiny surrounding high-profile investigations involving former public office holders.
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