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The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Wednesday, adjourned a fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by former Gov. Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State against Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, and four others until March 25 for hearing.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik adjourned the case to allow parties in the suit regularise their processes.
El-Rufai is demanding N1 billion in damages against ICPC, the Chief Magistrate at the Magistrate’s Court of the FCT, Abuja; Inspector-General of Police and the Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF, named as 1st to 4th respondents respectively.
When the case was called, Ubong Akpan, who appeared for El-Rufai, informed the court that the matter was fixed for hearing.
However, he said they had just responded to ICPC’s counter affidavit but yet to respond to that of the IGP.
Abdulsufiano Abubakar, ICPC’s lawyer, and the police counsel, Ezekiel Rimamsomte, confirmed Akpan’s submission.
Justice Abdulmalik consequently adjourned the matter until March 25 for hearing.
The judge ordered that the 2nd respondent (Chief Magistrate) and 4th respondent (AGF), who were not represented in court, be issued and served with hearing notices.
The former governor, in an originating motion on notice marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/345/2026, dated and filed February 20 by Oluwole Iyamu, SAN, sought seven reliefs.
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He prayed the court to declare that the invasion and search of his residence at House 12, Mambilla Street, Aso Drive, Abuja, on Feb. 19 at about 2pm by the ICPC and I-G, amounts to a gross violation of the applicant’s fundamental rights .
He said that it was a violation to the dignity of the human person, personal liberty, fair hearing, and privacy under Sections 34, 35, 36, and 37 of the Constitution.”
He urged the court to declare that “any evidence obtained pursuant to the aforesaid invalid warrant and unlawful search is inadmissible in any proceedings against the applicant, as it was procured in breach of constitutional safeguards.”
El-Rufai, therefore, sought an order of injunction restraining the respondents and their agents from further relying on, using, or tendering any evidence or items seized during the unlawful search in any investigation, prosecution, or proceedings involving him.
He sought an order directing the Ist and 3rd respondents (ICPC and I-G) to forthwith return all items seized from the applicant’s premises during the unlawful search, together with a detailed inventory thereof.
He also sought an order awarding the sum of N1,000,000,000.00 (One Billion Naira) as general, exemplary, and aggravated damages, among others.
Responding, in its counter affidavit, the ICPC said it received a petition against El-Rufai and acting on the petition, it commenced an investigation, leading to the search at his residence.
It argued that its operatives acted under a valid search warrant issued on Feb. 18 and executed on February 19 between 1:37pm and 3:56pm at 12 Mambilla Street, Asokoro, Abuja.
The commission said its officials were accompanied by personnel of the Nigeria Police Force, and that the exercise was witnessed by El-Rufai’s wife, Hadiza El-Rufai, and his son, Mohammed El-Rufai.
The ICPC, urged the court to dismiss the suit
Drama unfolded on Tuesday at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Maitama judicial division, during proceedings in the trial of Yahaya Adoza Bello.
Justice Maryann Anenih had earlier delivered judgment in a civil matter before calling the criminal case between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Bello.
Kemi Pinheiro, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, appeared as counsel to the prosecution in the case.
Z. E. Abbas, counsel to the third defendant, was preparing to commence cross-examination of the prosecution witness when the court indicated that it would rise by 2:30pm.
The court, however, said it could consider granting an additional 30 minutes if counsel would be able to conclude the cross-examination within that period.
Responding, Pinheiro urged the court to extend the sitting time to enable the defence to conclude the cross-examination and allow the prosecution to call a fresh witness on the next adjourned date.
Pinheiro said all parties had arrived in court as early as 9:00am but proceedings were delayed because the court first delivered judgment in another matter.
He said the parties had waited for about four hours while the court carefully read the entire judgment in open court.
Pinheiro said, “My Lord, I was actually pitying Your Lordship while reading the entire judgment for almost four hours.
“At the Supreme Court, the practice is that only the first three pages and the last four pages are read during the delivery of judgment.
“That approach saves time and also helps to preserve the health and energy of the court.”
The court subsequently adjourned the matter to Wednesday and Thursday for continuation of cross-examination and further hearing in the trial.
However, the judge directed that the case be placed as number two on the cause list for the following day, despite earlier discussions in court.
Supporters of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Kano State on Monday staged a peaceful protest over the continued detention of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, without being formally charged in court.
The demonstrators, led by leaders of coalition groups and members of the El-Rufai Support Group, gathered at the ADC state office in Kano to express concern over what they described as prolonged detention without trial.
The protesters carried placards calling for justice for the former governor and demanded his immediate release so he could reunite with his family and continue observing the Ramadan fast.
Speaking during the protest, a leader of the El-Rufai Support Group and a member of the ADC, Al’amin Nuraddeen Amin, said the rally was organised to draw attention to El-Rufai’s situation.
