Breaking: Ex-Kaduna Governor El-Rufai Files N1 Billion Lawsuit Against ICPC
Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has filed a N1 billion lawsuit against the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Commission (ICPC), alleging an unlawful search of his residence in Abuja.
Represented by his legal team led by Oluwole Iyamu, SAN, El-Rufai requests 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 claims that the warrant, which authorized the search and seizure at his home, is flawed and invalid.
The lawsuit states that the former governor argues the warrant lacked specific details, contained drafting errors, was vague in its scope, overly broad, and lacked probable cause. He asserts that these issues rendered the search unconstitutional and a violation of Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution, which safeguards the right to privacy.
El-Rufai is also seeking a court declaration that any materials or evidence collected during the operation should be considered inadmissible in any legal proceedings against him because they were obtained in violation of constitutional rights.
He further requests an injunction to prevent the ICPC and its officials from using, presenting, or relying on any items seized during the search in any investigations or prosecutions involving him.
In his claim for damages totaling N1 billion, El-Rufai seeks N300 million as compensation for psychological distress, emotional suffering, and loss of personal security. He also requests N400 million in exemplary damages to discourage similar actions by law enforcement agencies and to defend his constitutional rights.
The suit also includes a claim for N300 million in aggravated damages, which he states reflects the allegedly malicious and oppressive conduct during the search, including the use of a defective warrant obtained through misleading representations.
Additionally, he seeks N100 million to cover legal costs and related expenses for filing the lawsuit.
