News, Politics

Court Authorises ICPC to Forensically Examine Devices Seized from El-Rufai’s Abuja Residence

Published by Samuel Ayomide on March 13th, 2026.

The Federal High Court in Abuja has granted permission to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to access and conduct forensic analysis on several electronic devices recovered during a search of the residence of former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El‑Rufai.

The order was issued by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik after the anti-corruption agency filed an ex-parte motion seeking legal authorisation to inspect and extract data from the seized gadgets as part of an ongoing investigation. The application was moved in court by ICPC counsel, Osuobeni Akponimisingha.

In her ruling, the judge permitted investigators to carry out a detailed examination of the devices, including the extraction of digital information such as text messages, call records, images, WhatsApp conversations and other documents that may assist the commission’s inquiry. The court also authorised the agency to analyse the materials obtained from the devices using forensic methods.

According to the ICPC, the electronic gadgets were recovered during a search operation at El-Rufai’s residence in the Asokoro district of Abuja. Items listed among the seized devices include a Sony HD-EGS storage device, ITB Transcend and Toshiba storage drives, multiple mobile phones including Samsung, Nokia and Blackberry models, a Google IDEOS phone, a Remarkable tablet, and an Apple MacBook Pro laptop. Investigators also retrieved several flash drives, an external Seagate FreeAgent Desk drive and a Microcell memory card.

However, the former governor has challenged the legality of the search in a separate suit currently before the same court. In the case marked FHC/ABJ/CS/345/2026, El-Rufai named the ICPC, the Chief Magistrate of the Federal Capital Territory Magistrate Court, the Nigeria Police Force through the Inspector-General of Police, and the Federal Ministry of Justice (Nigeria) represented by the Attorney-General of the Federation as respondents.

The former governor is seeking several declarations from the court, including a ruling that the search warrant issued earlier by a magistrate court authorising the operation was invalid. He argued that the warrant lacked sufficient detail regarding the items to be seized and contained drafting errors and overly broad instructions.

El-Rufai further contended that the search of his residence at House 12, Mambilla Street, Aso Drive, allegedly carried out by ICPC operatives and police officers on February 19, constituted a violation of his constitutional rights to privacy, dignity, personal liberty and fair hearing.

As part of his claims, the former governor is demanding ₦1 billion in damages from the respondents, citing alleged unlawful entry into his home, the seizure of personal items and the emotional distress he says resulted from the incident.

Legal filings submitted by El-Rufai also argue that the search warrant did not meet the procedural requirements set out in the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015 and the ICPC Act, which require investigators to clearly state the grounds for suspicion and provide specific descriptions of the items sought.

The development has drawn significant public attention, with several Nigerian media outlets, including The Punch, Vanguard Newspaper, and Channels Television, reporting on the court proceedings and the legal battle between the former governor and the anti-corruption agency.

The case is expected to continue as the court examines the legality of the search operation while investigators proceed with the forensic review of the recovered devices.