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By Correspondent in Abuja.
The Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday granted the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) permission to access and analyse electronic devices recovered from the residence of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, during a search operation.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik gave the order after hearing an ex-parte motion filed by the anti-graft agency and moved by its counsel, Osuobeni Akponimisingha.
Akponimisingha had urged the court to authorise the commission to access and analyse the contents of the devices for inspection, forensic examination and extraction of data in furtherance of its ongoing investigation involving the former governor.
The lawyer told the court that the order was necessary to enable investigators carry out forensic analysis of materials retrieved during the search.
The court subsequently granted the application.
In her ruling, Justice Abdulmalik authorised the ICPC to access and analyse several devices allegedly seized from El-Rufai’s residence, including storage devices, mobile phones, laptops, tablets and flash drives.
The judge said the commission could examine the items for purposes of forensic extraction of data such as public documents, WhatsApp conversations, text messages, call logs, photographs and other related information relevant to its investigation.
Among the devices listed in the order are Sony HD-EGS storage device, Transcend storage device, Toshiba storage device, Samsung mobile phone, Nokia N958GB phone, Blackberry phone, Google IDEOS phone, Samsung storage device (SPO802N), a Remarkable tablet and an Apple MacBook Pro.
Others include a Seagate FreeAgent Desk external drive, ZTE mobile phone, 10 flash drives and a Microcell memory card.
The motion ex-parte is marked FHC/ABJ/CS/499/2026 between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai.
Meanwhile, the former governor is currently before the same court challenging the legality of the search conducted at his residence and seeking ₦1 billion in damages.
In the fundamental rights enforcement suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/345/2026, filed on Feb. 20 through his counsel, Oluwole Iyamu (SAN), El-Rufai joined the ICPC, the Chief Magistrate of the Magistrate’s Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the Inspector-General of Police and the Attorney-General of the Federation as 1st to 4th respondents respectively.
He is asking the court to declare that the search of his residence at No. 12 Mambilla Street, Aso Drive, Abuja, on Feb. 19 constituted a violation of his fundamental rights.
The former governor argued that the action breached his rights to dignity of the human person, personal liberty, fair hearing and privacy as guaranteed under Sections 34, 35, 36 and 37 of the Constitution.
He also urged the court to rule that any evidence obtained through what he described as an unlawful search warrant should be declared inadmissible in any proceedings against him.
El-Rufai further asked for an order restraining the respondents from relying on or tendering items seized during the search in any investigation or prosecution involving him.
He also requested an order directing the ICPC and the police to immediately return all items recovered from his residence, along with a detailed inventory.
In addition, he is seeking ₦1 billion as general, exemplary and aggravated damages.
However, in its counter-affidavit, the ICPC said it received a petition against the former governor and commenced an investigation based on the allegations.
The commission stated that the search of El-Rufai’s residence was carried out under a valid search warrant issued on Feb. 18 and executed the following day between 1:37 p.m. and 3:56 p.m.
It added that the operation was conducted in the presence of police officers and witnessed by El-Rufai’s wife, Hadiza El-Rufai, and his son, Mohammed El-Rufai.
The police, in a separate counter-affidavit deposed to by Inspector Ewa Anthony, also maintained that the search was conducted lawfully.
According to the police, the operation was executed pursuant to a valid warrant issued by a competent court and in line with established legal procedures.
The police further argued that the applicant was attempting to use the court to shield himself from an ongoing investigation.
It therefore urged the court to dismiss the suit in its entirety.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
