Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has filed a ₦1 billion suit against the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) over what he described as the unlawful invasion and search of his residence in Abuja.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/345/2026, was filed at the Federal High Court on February 20, 2026. It challenges the validity of a search warrant said to have been issued on February 4 by a Chief Magistrate of the FCT Magistrates’ Court.
El-Rufai is asking the court to declare the warrant authorising the search of his home invalid, null, and void. He is also seeking damages for what he claims was a violation of his fundamental rights.
According to court documents filed by his lawyer, Oluwole Iyamu (SAN), operatives of the ICPC and officers of the Nigeria Police Force allegedly stormed El-Rufai’s residence at House 12, Mambilla Street, Aso Drive, Abuja, on February 19 at about 2 p.m.
The search was carried out under a warrant issued earlier in the month. However, El-Rufai is challenging the legality of that warrant.
In his application, he argued that the warrant was defective. He described it as “null and void for lack of particularity, material drafting errors, ambiguity in execution parameters, overbreadth, and absence of probable cause.”
He said the search violated his rights under Sections 34, 35, 36, and 37 of the 1999 Constitution, which protect the dignity of the human person, personal liberty, fair hearing, and privacy.
El-Rufai is asking the court to declare that the search of his residence amounted to a gross violation of these rights.
The former governor is demanding ₦1 billion as general, exemplary, and aggravated damages. He said the amount covers psychological trauma, humiliation, distress, invasion of privacy, and reputational harm.
He broke down the claim into ₦300 million as compensatory damages for emotional distress, ₦400 million as exemplary damages to discourage similar conduct by law enforcement agencies in the future, and ₦300 million as aggravated damages for what he described as malicious and oppressive actions.
In addition, he is asking for ₦100 million as the cost of filing the suit, including legal fees and other expenses.
El-Rufai is also seeking an order directing the ICPC and the Inspector-General of Police to return all items seized during the search. He wants a detailed inventory of the items allegedly taken from his residence.
Furthermore, he is asking the court to rule that any evidence obtained during the search should not be used in any investigation or prosecution against him.
In his grounds of argument, Iyamu said the warrant did not meet the requirements set out in the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015, and the ICPC Act, 2000.
He argued that Section 143 of the ACJA requires that an application for a search warrant must be supported by information in writing and on oath, setting out reasonable grounds for suspicion. According to him, this requirement was not met.
He also said Section 144 requires clear descriptions of the place to be searched and the items to be seized. However, he claimed the warrant vaguely referred to “the thing aforesaid” without specific details.
Iyamu further argued that the document contained errors in the address, date, and district designation. He said these errors made the warrant defective.
To support his argument, he cited decided cases, including C.O.P. v. Omoh (1969) and Fawehinmi v. IGP (2000), which established that evidence obtained through improper means may be declared inadmissible in court.
In an affidavit filed in support of the suit, Mohammed Shaba, a Principal Secretary to El-Rufai, said officers seized personal documents and electronic devices during the search. He claimed the operation caused humiliation and emotional distress.
The ICPC is one of Nigeria’s key anti-corruption agencies. Established in 2000, it is empowered to investigate and prosecute cases of corruption and related offences.
Over the years, the agency has conducted searches and investigations involving public officials, including former governors and senior government officers.
El-Rufai served as governor of Kaduna State from 2015 to 2023. During his time in office, he was known for his strong views on governance and reform. Since leaving office, he has remained active in national political discussions.
Human rights advocates often stress that even suspects are entitled to privacy, dignity, and due process under the law.
As the case proceeds, the Federal High Court in Abuja will examine whether the warrant met legal standards and whether El-Rufai’s rights were violated.
The respondents in the case include the ICPC as first respondent, the Chief Magistrate who issued the warrant as second respondent, the Inspector-General of Police as third respondent, and the Attorney-General of the Federation as fourth respondent.
The matter is expected to generate public interest given El-Rufai’s political profile and the broader debate about anti-corruption efforts and respect for fundamental rights in Nigeria.
For now, the court will determine whether the search was lawful and whether the former governor is entitled to the damages he is claiming.
