Abuja Court Allows ICPC to Probe El-Rufai’s Seized Devices Amid Legal Challenge
A Federal High Court in Abuja has granted the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) permission to access and analyse electronic devices seized from the home of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai. The order, issued by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik on Thursday, followed an ex-parte application by the commission’s counsel, Osuobeni Akponimisingha.
The court authorised the ICPC to inspect, forensically examine, and extract data from the devices as part of its ongoing investigation into the ex-governor. The commission’s operatives recovered approximately 14 electronic items during a search at El-Rufai’s residence in Abuja’s Aso Drive area on February 19. The inventory includes multiple storage devices (such as Sony, Toshiba, and Samsung), several mobile phones (including Nokia, BlackBerry, and ZTE models), a tablet, an Apple MacBook Pro, flash drives, and a memory card.
This development runs parallel to a separate fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by El-Rufai challenging the very search that produced the devices. In that suit, El-Rufai is seeking a declaration that the search violated his constitutional rights to dignity, liberty, fair hearing, and privacy. He is also requesting a N1 billion damages award and an order barring the ICPC and police from using any seized evidence.
The ICPC and the police have filed counter-affidavits defending the operation. The anti-graft commission stated it acted on a valid search warrant issued on February 18, which was executed in the presence of El-Rufai’s wife and son. It argued the search was lawful and part of a legitimate investigation triggered by a petition. The police affirmed the warrant’s validity and asserted that all legal procedures were followed, accusing El-Rufai of attempting to evade investigation.
The case highlights the concurrent legal tracks: while the court has permitted the investigative agency to proceed with digital forensic analysis, the former governor continues to contest the legality of the search that provided the evidence. The court’s ultimate ruling on El-Rufai’s constitutional challenge will determine the admissibility of any data recovered from the devices. Both matters are expected to shape the legal parameters of anti-corruption investigations and individual privacy rights in Nigeria.
