Just In: Ex Kaduna Governor, El-Rufai Files N1bn Lawsuit Against ICPC
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Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has instituted a N1 billion lawsuit against the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), alleging an unlawful search of his Abuja residence.
Through his legal team led by Oluwole Iyamu, SAN, El-Rufai is asking the court to invalidate the search warrant issued on February 4 by the Chief Magistrate of the Magistrate’s Court in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). He contends that the warrant, which authorized the search and seizure at his home, is fundamentally defective and therefore null and void.
According to the suit, the former governor argues that the warrant lacked specific details, contained drafting flaws, was ambiguous in its scope of execution, overly broad, and unsupported by probable cause. He maintains that these deficiencies rendered the search unconstitutional and in breach of Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantees the right to privacy.
El-Rufai is also seeking a judicial declaration that any material or evidence obtained during the operation should be deemed inadmissible in any legal proceedings against him, on the grounds that it was acquired in violation of constitutional protections.
Additionally, he is requesting an injunction to prevent the ICPC and its officials from using, presenting, or relying on any items seized during the search in the course of investigations or prosecutions involving him.
In his claim for damages totaling N1 billion, El-Rufai is demanding N300 million as compensation for psychological distress, emotional suffering, and loss of personal security. He is further asking for N400 million in exemplary damages to discourage similar conduct by law enforcement agencies in the future and to affirm his constitutional rights.
The suit also includes a claim of N300 million as aggravated damages, which he says reflects the allegedly malicious and oppressive manner in which the search was conducted, including the use of what he describes as a defective warrant obtained through misleading representations.
He is also seeking N100 million to cover the costs of filing the suit, including legal fees and related expenses.
