By Nworisa Michael
A Federal High Court in Abuja has granted permission to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to access and analyse electronic devices recovered from the residence of former Kaduna State governor, Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai.
The order was issued on Thursday by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik after an ex parte application filed by the commission’s lawyer, Osuobeni Akponimisingha. The court authorised the anti-graft agency to inspect the devices, carry out forensic examinations and extract relevant data as part of its ongoing investigation.
According to court filings, ICPC operatives recovered about 14 electronic devices during a search at El-Rufai’s residence in Abuja. The items reportedly include several mobile phones, external storage drives, flash drives, a tablet device, a microSD card and a laptop computer.
The application is linked to a case filed as Federal Republic of Nigeria vs. Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, currently before the court.
However, the former governor is challenging the legality of the search in a separate lawsuit. In the suit, El-Rufai argues that the search of his home on February 19 violated his fundamental rights, including his rights to dignity, personal liberty, fair hearing and privacy as guaranteed under the Nigerian Constitution.
He is asking the court to declare the search unlawful and to prevent authorities from using any evidence obtained from it in legal proceedings. The former governor also requested the return of all items seized from his residence and is seeking ₦1 billion in damages.
In response, the ICPC maintained that the search was conducted lawfully under a warrant issued by a magistrate court on February 18 and executed the following day with support from the Nigeria Police Force.
The commission said the operation was carried out between 1:37 p.m. and 3:56 p.m. and was witnessed by members of El-Rufai’s family, including his wife, Hadiza El-Rufai, and his son, Mohammed El-Rufai.
Meanwhile, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has also asked the court to dismiss El-Rufai’s fundamental rights enforcement suit, arguing that the police acted within the law while executing the warrant.
The matter remains before the Federal High Court as ICPC proceeds with the forensic analysis of the devices seized during the search.
