The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has told a Federal Capital Territory High Court that its operatives recovered electronic surveillance equipment and sensitive security documents during a search of the Abuja residence of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai.
In affidavits filed before the court, the anti-graft agency alleged that the items retrieved from the property on Mambilla Street, Aso Drive, Asokoro District, include “electronic magnetic equipment capable of tapping conversations” and documents classified as capable of compromising national security . The search, conducted on February 19, 2026, was witnessed by El-Rufai’s wife, Hadiza Isma El-Rufai, and his son, Mohammed Bello El-Rufai, according to court documents.
The ICPC’s disclosure has been firmly rebutted by the El-Rufai family. In a statement issued on Monday and signed by Mohammed El-Rufai, who represents Kaduna North Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, the family described the claims as false and politically motivated . The lawmaker accused the commission of engaging in a “media war rather than adhere to the rule of law,” stating that the family viewed the allegations “with a mixture of contempt and amusement.”
The commission further alleged in its filings that the former governor admitted on national television to intercepting telephone conversations of the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu. The ICPC stated that El-Rufai has refused to grant consent for investigators to access the recovered equipment, and that a prosecution witness has formally sought protection from the commission, attaching a copy of the letter as an exhibit .
However, the family’s statement defended El-Rufai’s decision to remain silent during interactions with investigators as a constitutionally guaranteed right. “The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria guarantees every citizen the right to remain silent. This is not an act of non-cooperation; it is a fundamental human right,” the statement read . Quoting the former governor directly, the family added, “Charge me, if you have anything against me. You have had more than 2 years to investigate me. Take me to court, please.”
Regarding the items allegedly seized, the family disputed the inventory presented by the ICPC, claiming that only “old discarded personal mobile phones… storage devices like flash drives and laptops, which are standard possessions of any 21st-century citizen,” were taken from the property. “We were present when these items were seized. No equipment other than old discarded personal mobile phones… was seized,” the statement asserted .
El-Rufai has been in custody since February 16, 2026, when he voluntarily reported to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in response to an invitation. He remained in EFCC detention until the night of February 18, when he was transferred to ICPC custody . The ICPC subsequently obtained a 14-day remand order from a Magistrate Court in Bwari, FCT, on February 19, which is due to expire this week .
The former governor is under investigation over alleged corruption and financial improprieties during his tenure as Kaduna State governor between 2015 and 2023. According to court documents filed by the ICPC, the allegations include questions over the whereabouts of €1.4 million, 180 suspicious payments totalling N2,158,799,199 from a Consolidated Revenue Account linked to Kaduna State’s internally generated revenue, and transfers amounting to N428,122,180.18 to undisclosed accounts .
In a countermove, El-Rufai has filed a fundamental rights enforcement suit before the Federal High Court, Abuja, seeking N1 billion in damages against the ICPC, the Chief Magistrate of the FCT Magistrate’s Court, the Inspector-General of Police, and the Attorney-General of the Federation . The suit, filed by his lawyer Oluwole Iyamu, SAN, challenges the legality of the search warrant executed at his residence.
The former governor is urging the court to declare that the search warrant issued on February 4 by the Chief Magistrate was “invalid, null and void” for lack of particularity, material drafting errors, ambiguity in execution parameters, overbreadth, and absence of probable cause, thereby constituting an unlawful and unreasonable search in violation of Section 37 of the Constitution . He further seeks an order directing the return of all items seized during the search and a declaration that any evidence obtained pursuant to the invalid warrant is inadmissible in any proceedings against him.
The current investigation traces its origins to a June 2024 report by the Kaduna State House of Assembly, which alleged widespread financial mismanagement during El-Rufai’s eight-year administration. A statement by the Chairman of the House Committee on ad-hoc investigation into finances, loans, and contracts awarded between 2015 and 2023, Henry Zacharia, alleged that most loans obtained by the El-Rufai administration were not utilised for the purposes for which they were secured .
The Speaker of the Kaduna Assembly, Yusuf Leman, was quoted at the time alleging that approximately N423 billion was siphoned under the El-Rufai administration, leaving the state with heavy financial liabilities and a rising debt profile. The committee report recommended the prosecution of the former governor and several members of his cabinet for alleged abuse of office, awarding contracts without due process, diversion of public funds, money laundering, and reckless borrowing .
The investigation has also been shaped by public statements made by El-Rufai himself. Days before his detention, during an appearance on Arise Television on February 13, the former governor alleged that the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, had personally ordered his arrest. During that same interview, he made admissions regarding the interception of communications that have since formed part of the investigation .
The family’s statement also alleged that the search warrant used for the operation was defective and had been challenged in court. “Our lawyers have challenged this illegitimate warrant in a court of competent jurisdiction,” the statement said, alleging that the warrant was fraudulently procured . The lawmaker added that the family had instructed its legal team to pursue all available remedies, including challenging what it described as an illegal search and defamatory statements.
The ICPC has denied allegations of arbitrary detention and political repression, urging the High Court to dismiss El-Rufai’s fundamental rights suit to allow its investigation to continue .
