The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has detailed documents and electronic devices it said were recovered from the Abuja residence of former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai, as it asked a court to dismiss his N1bn fundamental rights enforcement suit.
The disclosure forms part of the commission’s filings before the Federal Capital Territory High Court, where El-Rufai is challenging what he describes as his unlawful arrest, detention and the search of his home last month.
Search Warrant and Execution
According to the ICPC, its operatives acted lawfully under a search warrant issued on February 18 and executed on February 19 between 1:37pm and 3:56pm at 12 Mambilla Street, Asokoro, Abuja.
The commission said its officials were accompanied by personnel of the Nigeria Police Force, and that the search was witnessed by El-Rufai’s wife, Hadiza El-Rufai, and his son, Mohammed El-Rufai.
Documents Recovered
Among the materials reportedly seized were:
- Investor account statements
- Asset declaration forms
- Certificates of registration for business entities
- Corporate compliance records
- Client Know-Your-Customer (KYC) files
- Documents linked to the African Democratic Congress welfare secretary
- Records of domestic and foreign loans approved by the Kaduna State House of Assembly between 2015 and 2023
- Interim investigation reports involving El-Rufai and his associates
- Ecobank Nigeria Plc share certificates
- Land documents, deeds of assignment and valuation reports
- Irrevocable powers of attorney for multiple properties
- Afri-Venture Capital Company documents
- Payment mandates and media/publicity materials from the former governor’s office
Electronic Devices Seized
The ICPC also listed numerous electronic devices allegedly recovered during the operation, including:
- Nine flash drives
- One memory card
- Seven hard drives
- Multiple laptops, including Apple MacBook Pro and Elumac Book Pro models
- Several mobile phones, including Blackberry, Nokia N95, Toshiba, Samsung IDEOS and Google IDEOS devices
- A tablet and related chargers
The commission stated that all items were documented, sealed and prepared for forensic analysis. It said a Device Documentation Form captured serial numbers, storage capacities and accessories, and that the documentation process was witnessed by Hadiza El-Rufai, Mohammed El-Rufai, Ajibade Abiodun and Asjuquo J.E.
Dispute Over Consent
In its filings, the ICPC acknowledged that El-Rufai noted he did not grant consent for access to any of the devices found in his residence.
The commission is urging the court to dismiss the suit, maintaining that its actions were lawful and conducted under judicial authorisation.
What you should know
The ICPC has presented details of documents and electronic devices it says were recovered from Nasir El-Rufai’s Abuja home during a February search, arguing the operation was conducted under a valid warrant.
El-Rufai is contesting the legality of the search and seeking N1bn in damages for alleged rights violations.
