Former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai has instituted a ₦1 billion lawsuit against the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and other parties over the alleged unlawful invasion of his Abuja residence.
In the suit filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja, El-Rufai is asking the court to declare the search warrant used to enter his home invalid.
He described the warrant as “null and void for lack of particularity, material drafting errors, ambiguity in execution parameters, overbreadth, and absence of probable cause.”
According to the former governor, officers of the ICPC and the Nigeria Police Force searched his residence at No. 12 Mambilla Street, Aso Drive, Abuja, on February 19 at about 2 p.m.
El-Rufai contends that the operation violated his constitutional rights to dignity, personal liberty, fair hearing, and privacy. He is seeking a declaration that any evidence obtained during the search is inadmissible in any investigation or trial on the grounds that it was unlawfully procured.
He further requests an order directing the ICPC and the Inspector-General of Police to immediately return all items seized from his residence, along with a comprehensive inventory.
The ₦1 billion damages claim includes ₦300 million for alleged psychological trauma, emotional distress, and loss of personal security; ₦400 million as exemplary damages to deter future misconduct by law enforcement agencies; and ₦300 million as aggravated damages for what he described as the “malicious, high-handed and oppressive nature of the operation.” He is also seeking ₦100 million as legal costs.
His counsel argued that the search warrant failed to clearly specify the items to be seized and contained errors in the address, date, and district details, thereby failing to meet legal requirements and rendering the search unlawful.
The lawyer further maintained that “evidence obtained without a valid warrant is unlawful and inadmissible.”
In a supporting affidavit, a senior aide to El-Rufai alleged that officers conducted the search without lawful authority, seized personal documents and electronic devices, and subjected the former governor to undue humiliation and distress.
As of the time of filing this report, the court has not fixed a date for hearing the matter.
