Court Grants ICPC Access To Analyse Electronic Devices Seized From EX Gov El-Rufai’s Residence

The Federal High Court in Abuja has given the ICPC approval to access and forensically analyse 14 electronic devices seized from the home of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El‑Rufai, following an ex‑parte request by the commission as part of its ongoing corruption investigation. 

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik granted the order after ICPC’s counsel, Osuobeni Akponimisingha, asked for permission to inspect, extract data, and conduct full forensic examinations on the items, which include multiple storage devices, mobile phones, a MacBook Pro, tablets, flash drives, and a microSD card.

The devices were recovered during a February 19, 2026 search at El‑Rufai’s Abuja residence, carried out under a warrant issued a day earlier and witnessed by his wife and son. 

While the ICPC insists the operation was lawful and properly executed with police support, El‑Rufai is challenging the search in a separate suit, arguing that it violated his constitutional rights to dignity, liberty, fair hearing, and privacy. He is seeking ₦1 billion in damages, the return of all seized items, and an injunction preventing the use of any evidence obtained during the search.

The police, in their own counter‑affidavit, maintain that the warrant was valid and the search followed due process, and accused the former governor of attempting to use the courts to obstruct an active investigation.  

from dailypost