Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has instituted a N1bn fundamental rights enforcement suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja against the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, the police and others over what he described as an unlawful invasion of his residence.
In the originating motion marked FHC/ABJ/CS/345/2026, El-Rufai listed the anti-graft agency as the first respondent.
Others joined in the suit are the Chief Magistrate of the Magistrate’s Court of the FCT, the Inspector-General of Police and the Attorney-General of the Federation.
Through his legal team led by Mr Oluwole Iyamu (SAN), the former governor is asking the court to void a search warrant allegedly issued on February 4 by a Chief Magistrate in the FCT, which authorised operatives to search and seize items from his Abuja home.
El-Rufai contended that the warrant was fundamentally defective, arguing that it lacked specific details of items to be seized, contained material drafting errors and ambiguous execution terms, and was issued without probable cause.
He maintained that the alleged defects rendered the search unconstitutional and in breach of his right to privacy as guaranteed under Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
The ex-governor further asked the court to declare that the invasion of his residence at House 12, Mambilla Street, Aso Drive, Abuja, on February 19 by operatives of the ICPC and the police amounted to a violation of his rights to dignity, personal liberty, fair hearing and privacy under Sections 34, 35, 36 and 37 of the Constitution.
He is also seeking an order barring the respondents from relying on or tendering in any proceedings the items allegedly seized during the search, insisting that any evidence obtained through what he termed an unlawful warrant is inadmissible.
Among the reliefs sought is an order directing the ICPC and the Inspector-General of Police to immediately return all items taken from his residence, alongside a detailed inventory.
El-Rufai is further demanding N1bn as general, exemplary and aggravated damages for what he described as trespass, unlawful seizure and the psychological trauma, humiliation and reputational harm allegedly suffered.
A breakdown of the claim shows N300m sought as compensatory damages for emotional distress and loss of personal security; N400m as exemplary damages to deter alleged future misconduct by law enforcement agencies; and N300m as aggravated damages for what he termed the oppressive execution of a defective warrant. He also claimed N100m as cost of the action.
In the affidavit supporting the suit, a Principal Secretary to the former governor, Mohammed Shaba, deposed that officers of the ICPC and the Nigeria Police Force stormed the residence around 2pm on February 19 on the strength of a warrant allegedly issued earlier in the month.
Shaba claimed the warrant did not specify the items to be searched for and that the officers failed to comply with procedural safeguards before conducting the search.
He further alleged that personal documents and electronic devices were seized and have not been returned.
The former governor anchored his arguments on provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, and the ICPC Act, 2000, contending that the warrant fell short of statutory requirements regarding specificity and clarity.
No date has yet been fixed for the hearing of the suit.