The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday adjourned former Kaduna State governor Nasir El‑Rufai’s N1 billion rights suit against the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), the Attorney‑General of the Federation (AGF) and the Inspector‑General of Police (I‑G) until 27 October for a definitive hearing.
El‑Rufai filed the originating motion on 20 February, alleging that a search and seizure operation carried out at his Abuja residence on 19 February violated his fundamental rights under Sections 34, 35, 36 and 37 of the Nigerian Constitution. He seeks an injunction restraining the respondents from using any evidence obtained in the raid, the return of seized items with an inventory, and general, exemplary and aggravated damages of N1 billion.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik granted the AGF’s counsel, Mrs Maimuna Lami‑Shiru, leave to move a motion for an extension of time to deem the AGF’s counter‑affidavit properly filed and served. Counsel for El‑Rufai, Akinyemi Aremu, as well as representatives for the I‑G and the ICPC did not oppose the application, leading the judge to adjourn the matter to the later date.
The ICPC’s counter‑affidavit states that the operation was conducted under a valid search warrant issued on 18 February and executed on 19 February, with the agency’s officials accompanied by police personnel and the raid witnessed by El‑Rufai’s wife, Hadiza, and son, Mohammed. The police, through Insp Ewa Anthony, argue that they acted within statutory powers and that the warrant was a genuine court order. Both the ICPC and the police have asked the court to dismiss the suit in its entirety.
Earlier in the proceedings, El‑Rufai had also named the Chief Magistrate of the FCT Magistrate’s Court as a respondent but later withdrew that name after being unable to specify the magistrate. The case now proceeds to a full hearing on 27 October.
<small>Source: Vanguard News — read the original story there.</small>
