The family of former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El‑Rufai, has accused the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) of mounting a “malicious smear campaign” in relation to a probe involving alleged surveillance equipment.
READ ALSO: El-Rufai Sues ICPC For ₦1bn Over Alleged Abuja Home Invasion
In a statement issued by his son, Mohammed Bello El-Rufai, who is a member of the House of Representatives, the family rejected claims that the former governor refused to cooperate with investigators.
“The ICPC has ludicrously attempted to weaponise the silence of Mallam Nasir el-Rufai against him, claiming he ‘refused to cooperate’. We must educate the Commission on the most basic tenet of Nigerian jurisprudence.
“The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria guarantees every citizen the right to remain silent. This is not an act of non-cooperation; it is a fundamental human right,” the statement partly read.
They also dismissed suggestions that specialised phone-tapping or espionage devices were found at a property linked to El-Rufai, saying only “old discarded personal mobile phones, flash drives, and laptops” were taken.
The family further questioned the legality of the search operation, alleging that the warrant used to authorise the raid was improperly secured and lacked jurisdiction.
‘Legally Defective Warrant’
They said their legal team has already approached the courts to contest the validity of the warrant and any material obtained under it.
“The entire foundation of this investigation is rotten. The search that purportedly uncovered these phantom items originated from a legally defective warrant.
“We have credible evidence that the warrant was a forgery, fraudulently procured and presented by a Magistrate who was, bizarrely, purporting to sit in the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory. An illegality of this magnitude—a forgery at the very inception of a state-sponsored search—renders everything that follows it inadmissible and void,” the statement added.
₦1bn Suit
The Abuja residence of the former governor was searched by officials of the ICPC, according to a statement by his media aide, Muyiwa Adekeye.
According to the statement, ICPC officials arrived at El-Rufai’s residence around 2 p.m. and immediately began searching the entire property.
The ICPC also confirmed that El-Rufai was in its custody in connection with an ongoing investigation.
Subsequently, the former chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) filed a ₦1 billion fundamental rights enforcement suit against the agency over the alleged unlawful invasion of his Abuja residence.
El-Rufai, through his team of lawyers led by Oluwole Iyamu, SAN, is challenging the validity of a search warrant issued on February 4 by the Chief Magistrate of the Magistrate’s Court of the FCT, listed as the second respondent in the suit.
In the originating motion on notice, the former governor sued ICPC as the first respondent, while the Chief Magistrate, Magistrate’s Court of the FCT, Abuja Magisterial District; the Inspector-General of Police (I-G); and the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) were named as second to fourth respondents respectively.
In the suit dated and filed on February 20 by Iyamu, El-Rufai sought seven reliefs, including praying the court to declare that the search warrant authorising the search and seizure at his residence was invalid, null and void.
