Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has dragged the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) t...
Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has dragged the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to court, demanding N1 billion in damages over what he described as an unlawful search of his Abuja residence.
The suit, filed by his legal team led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Oluwole Iyamu, is challenging the validity of a search warrant issued on February 4 by a Chief Magistrate in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The warrant had authorised ICPC operatives to search his home and seize items.
El-Rufai is asking the court to nullify the warrant, arguing that it was fundamentally flawed. According to him, the document was vague, lacked specific details, contained material errors, and granted overly broad powers of execution. He further contended that it was issued without probable cause, making the search unconstitutional and a violation of his right to privacy as guaranteed under Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution.
The former governor is also seeking a declaration that any evidence obtained during the operation should be declared inadmissible in any legal proceedings, insisting that it was procured in breach of constitutional safeguards.
In addition, he wants the court to restrain the ICPC and its agents from using or presenting any items recovered from the search in the course of any investigation or prosecution involving him.
Breaking down his N1 billion claim, El-Rufai is demanding N300 million as compensatory damages for alleged psychological trauma, emotional distress, and loss of personal security. He is also seeking N400 million in exemplary damages to serve as a deterrent against what he described as misconduct by law enforcement agencies.
Furthermore, he is claiming N300 million as aggravated damages, alleging that the commission acted in a malicious, high-handed, and oppressive manner, including securing what he termed a defective warrant through misleading representations.
He is equally asking the court to award N100 million to cover legal fees and other costs associated with filing the suit.
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