Court Grants ICPC Access to Examine Devices Seized from El-Rufai’s Home

Court Grants ICPC Access to Examine Devices Seized from El-Rufai’s Home

The Federal High Court in Abuja has granted the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) permission to examine and analyse electronic devices recovered from the residence of former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai in Abuja. The ruling, delivered by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, follows an ex-parte motion filed by the commission through its counsel, Osuobeni Akponimisingha.

The court’s order allows ICPC to conduct forensic inspections, data extraction, and analysis on about 14 electronic devices seized during a search operation at El-Rufai’s residence. The items include Sony and Toshiba storage devices, Samsung and Nokia phones, a Blackberry device, Google IDEOS phone, Remarkable tablet, Apple MacBook Pro, Seagate FreeAgent external drive, ZTE mobile phone, multiple flash drives, and a microSD memory card. The matter, listed as FHC/ABJ/CS/499/2026 (Federal Republic of Nigeria vs. Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai), is part of an ongoing investigation by ICPC into alleged corruption involving the former governor.

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Earlier, El-Rufai filed a fundamental rights enforcement suit at the same Federal High Court (FHC/ABJ/CS/345/2026), challenging the lawfulness of the search conducted at his residence on February 19, 2026. In his suit, filed through Oluwole Iyamu, SAN, he alleged that the operation violated his constitutional rights, including rights to dignity, privacy, fair hearing, and personal liberty. He sought, among other reliefs, a declaration that the search warrant was invalid, an order that any evidence obtained during the search be deemed inadmissible, immediate return of all seized items along with a detailed inventory, and ₦1 billion in general, exemplary, and aggravated damages.

In response, the ICPC maintained that the search was based on a valid court-issued warrant executed on February 19 between 1:37 pm and 3:56 pm. The commission added that its operatives were accompanied by Nigeria Police Force personnel and that the search was witnessed by El-Rufai’s wife, Hadiza El-Rufai, and son, Mohammed El-Rufai. The police, in a counter-affidavit sworn by Insp. Ewa Anthony, affirmed their statutory authority to investigate and prosecute offenses and described the operation as lawful and procedurally compliant. They also argued that El-Rufai’s suit appeared to be an attempt to obstruct ongoing investigations.

Legal experts note that the ruling is a significant development in Nigeria’s anti-corruption enforcement, reinforcing the ICPC’s authority to conduct forensic investigations even against high-profile public officials. The outcome is expected to set a precedent for how electronic evidence can be seized and analysed in ongoing corruption probes. The case continues to attract national attention as proceedings unfold, with El-Rufai’s fundamental rights suit still pending before the court.

Court Grants ICPC Access to Examine Devices Seized from El-Rufai’s Home