Nasis El-Rufai
Susan Abayomi
A Federal High Court in Abuja has granted the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) permission to access and analyze electronic devices seized from the residence of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai. The devices, which include mobile phones, laptops, and storage devices, were recovered during a search conducted by ICPC operatives on February 19, 2026.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik granted the order after ICPC’s lawyer, Osuobeni Akponimisingha, moved an ex-parte motion, stating that the commission needed to examine the devices for inspection, forensic examination, and data extraction as part of its ongoing investigation into El-Rufai’s activities.
The devices listed in the order include a Sony HD-EGS storage device, 1TB Transcend storage device, Toshiba storage device, Samsung mobile phone, Nokia mobile phone (N958GB), Blackberry mobile phone, Google IDEOS phone, Samsung storage device (SPO802N), Remarkable tablet, Apple MacBook Pro, Seagate FreeAgent Desk external drive, ZTE mobile phone, 10 flash drives, and a Microcell memory card.
El-Rufai has filed a separate suit challenging the search of his residence and seeking N1 billion in damages, claiming the search warrant was invalid and breached his constitutional rights. The ICPC, however, maintains it acted on a valid search warrant and is urging the court to dismiss El-Rufai’s suit .
The commission said it received a petition against El-Rufai, prompting an investigation that led to the search of his residence. The ICPC also stated that its officials were accompanied by personnel of the Nigeria Police Force during the operation, which was witnessed by El-Rufai’s wife, Hadiza, and his son, Mohammed.
The police have also defended the search, arguing that it was conducted pursuant to a valid search warrant issued by a competent court. The Inspector-General of Police has asked the court to dismiss El-Rufai’s N1 billion rights enforcement suit, validating the search warrant.
El-Rufai’s lawyer, Oluwole Iyamu (SAN), has argued that the search warrant was fundamentally defective, lacking specificity in the description of items to be seized, containing material typographical errors, ambiguous execution terms, overbroad directives, and no verifiable probable cause .
The case remains pending before the Federal High Court, with the ICPC authorized to continue its forensic examination of the recovered devices.
