ABUJA, Nigeria — In a dramatic escalation of the legal battle involving Nasir El-Rufai, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has informed a Federal Capital Territory High Court that it recovered advanced wiretapping equipment and sensitive security documents from the former governor’s Abuja residence.
The anti-graft agency made these revelations in a counter-affidavit filed in response to a fundamental rights enforcement suit brought by El-Rufai, who is seeking N1 billion in damages for what he describes as “arbitrary detention.”
The Raid and Discoveries
According to the ICPC, the items were retrieved during a coordinated search of El-Rufai’s residence on Aso Drive on February 19, 2026. The commission stated that the search was conducted in the presence of the former governor’s wife, Hadiza Isma El-Rufai, and his son, Mohammed Bello El-Rufai.
Among the items seized were “electronic magnetic equipment” allegedly designed to intercept private conversations and gain unauthorized access to classified security documents. The commission further alleged that El-Rufai has refused to provide passwords or consent for investigators to access the seized devices, insisting on remaining silent until he appears in court.
Financial Allegations
The security equipment is only one component of a broader corruption probe. The ICPC detailed several “suspicious” financial transactions linked to El-Rufai’s tenure as Governor of Kaduna State, including:
- The unaccounted whereabouts of €1.4 million in cash.
- 180 suspicious payments totaling N2,158,799,199 from a Consolidated Revenue Account linked to the state’s Internal Revenue Service.
- Transfers amounting to N428,122,180 to undisclosed private accounts.
The agency also noted that a key aide of the former governor, who is central to the investigation, has reportedly fled the country to evade arrest.
Legal Tussle
The ICPC dismissed El-Rufai’s claims of human rights violations, maintaining that his detention is backed by a legal remand order obtained from a Magistrate Court in Bwari. That order is set to expire this Thursday, March 5.
Counsel for the ICPC argued that the former governor’s detention is necessary to prevent the interference of witnesses and the destruction of evidence, particularly given the “sensitive nature” of the recovered hardware.
El-Rufai’s legal team, however, continues to maintain that the charges are politically motivated, describing the search and subsequent detention as an act of “state-sponsored repression.”
The High Court is expected to rule on the fundamental rights application later this week.
