A lawsuit by former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai against the ICPC for N1bn in damages was stalled due to the absence of lawyers for the respondents in court.
The Federal High Court in Abuja saw the postponement of a fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by Nasir El-Rufai, the former Kaduna State Governor. The case was scheduled due to a legal dispute concerning an alleged unlawful search conducted at his Abuja residence. This lawsuit seeks a hefty N1 billion in damages and is set against the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and other respondents.
When the case was called, only the applicant’s counsel, Ubong Akpan, was present, while the respondents' legal team failed to appear. Akpan also informed the court that the respondents had yet to be officially served with the necessary court documents, which led him to request an adjournment. As a result, the case has been rescheduled for further mention on March 11 by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik.
El-Rufai's legal action stems from a claim that his fundamental rights were breached due to what he considers an unlawful search of his property. The outcome of this lawsuit could have significant implications for issues related to unlawful searches and the conduct of agencies like the ICPC, highlighting the ongoing struggles between government officials and anti-corruption bodies in Nigeria.
