A Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday granted the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) permission to access and analyse electronic devices recovered from the Abuja residence of former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik granted the order after hearing an ex parte application filed by ICPC counsel, Osuobeni Akponimisingha.
Moving the motion, the lawyer urged the court to allow the commission to open and examine the devices for inspection, forensic analysis and data extraction as part of its ongoing investigation involving the former governor.
The devices were among items recovered by operatives of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission during a search conducted at El-Rufai’s residence in Abuja.
In her ruling, Justice Abdulmalik authorised the commission to access and analyse the contents of the devices, including public documents, WhatsApp conversations, text messages, photographs, call logs and other related data.
Items listed in the court order include a Sony HD-EGS storage device, ITB Transcend storage device, Toshiba storage device, Samsung mobile phone, Nokia mobile phone (N958GB), Blackberry mobile phone and a Google IDEOS phone.
Others are a Samsung storage device (SPO802N), a Remarkable tablet, an Apple MacBook Pro, a Seagate FreeAgent Desk external drive, a ZTE mobile phone, 10 flash drives and a Microcell memory card.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/499/2026, is between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and El-Rufai. Justice Abdulmalik held that the anti-graft agency was entitled to examine the seized items for forensic purposes in the course of its investigation.
El-Rufai challenges search
Meanwhile, El-Rufai has filed a separate suit before the same court challenging the search of his residence and demanding N1 billion in damages.
In the fundamental rights enforcement suit, the former governor listed the ICPC, the Chief Magistrate of the Magistrates’ Court of the Federal Capital Territory, the Inspector-General of Police, and the Attorney-General of the Federation as first to fourth respondents.
In the originating motion marked FHC/ABJ/CS/345/2026, dated February 20 and filed by his lawyer, Oluwole Iyamu (SAN), El-Rufai sought seven reliefs from the court.
He asked the court to declare that the search of his residence at House 12, Mambilla Street, Aso Drive, Abuja, on February 19 by operatives of the ICPC and the Nigeria Police Force violated his fundamental rights.
According to him, the action breached his rights to dignity of the human person, personal liberty, fair hearing and privacy as guaranteed under Sections 34, 35, 36 and 37 of the Constitution.
El-Rufai further urged the court to declare that any evidence obtained during the search should be deemed inadmissible in any proceedings against him. He also asked the court to restrain the respondents from relying on or tendering any items seized during the operation in any investigation or prosecution involving him.
The former governor equally requested an order directing the ICPC and the police to immediately return all items seized from his residence along with a detailed inventory.
He is also seeking N1 billion as general, exemplary and aggravated damages for the alleged violation of his fundamental rights.
ICPC, police defend search
In a counter-affidavit, the ICPC said the search followed a petition submitted against the former governor, which prompted an investigation.
The commission stated that its operatives carried out the search under a valid warrant issued on February 18 and executed the following day between 1:37 pm and 3:56 pm.
It added that officers of the Nigeria Police Force accompanied ICPC operatives during the operation, which it said was witnessed by El-Rufai’s wife, Hadiza El-Rufai, and his son, Mohammed El-Rufai. The commission urged the court to dismiss the suit.
The police, in a separate counter-affidavit deposed to by Inspector Ewa Anthony, also defended the operation, arguing that the force has the statutory authority to detect, arrest, investigate and prosecute offenders.
It maintained that the search was conducted pursuant to a valid warrant issued by a competent court and that all legal procedures were followed in executing it.
The police further accused the former governor of attempting to use the court to shield himself from investigation and possible prosecution and urged the court to dismiss the suit in its entirety.
Events leading to investigation
El-Rufai’s legal troubles reportedly began after he returned from Cairo, Egypt, on February 12, 2026.
He later honoured an invitation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on February 16, where he was detained before being granted administrative bail on February 18.
However, he was immediately taken into custody by the ICPC upon his release.
Meanwhile, the Department of State Services has also filed a suit against him at the Federal Capital Territory High Court for allegedly wiretapping the telephone line of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
